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shoot-the-oneshot · 2 years

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Enemies to Lovers

Mick Schumacher x Senna reader F1 Romance trope Masterlist It was so hard writing Mick as anything but a sweetheart but i think it turned out great let me know what you think!

Next part lance stroll marriage of convenience

“A rivalry we thought we’d never see again folks, once again Schumacher vs Senna on the formula 1 circuit.” You toned out the anouncers voice coming from everyone’s phone you passed with in three miles of the track, it was common for them to point out the renewed rivals ever since you got to F1 following your fathers foot steps it’s always been the headline. Not that you cared it was true after all.

The Emilia race always head tension for you and Schumacher, being where your father crashed, and media was all over it. Getting you both together for interviews ratings always spiked this time during the season for drama alone.

“Senna.”

“Mick.” Taking the spot next to him in front of the camera not bothering to look at him. He scoffed, “Didn’t know we were on a first name basis now Y/N” you shook your head in disagreement, “We aren’t, once you start driving like a Schumacher i’ll call you one.” You saw his shoulders puff up out of the corner of your eye.

“We’re here today with the Daughter of Aryton Senna and the son of Michael Schumacher the two greats back on track fighting for the chance to win.” You snicker at their intro speaking only loud enough for Mick to hear.

“I’m fighting to win you’re fighting to just get in the points.” Mick snarled gearing up for his own comment but the interviewer Sarah, finishing her intro innturupted him.

“So we are all excited for this race, but what are you two looking forward to most.” She nodded to the Hass driver to start who took the chance to clap back.

“Can’t wait to beat this one.” Nodding his head towards you that easy smile he uses to fool everyone into thinking he’s a sweetheart sliding across his face, sure as if. Laughing giving him a sympathetic pat on his arm. “Oh Mick they don’t have a place after last.”

“Bite me.” Growling through clenched teeth still pulled into a smile to save appearances. “Not even with your teeth.”

“Okay,” Sarah dragged out her words at your back and forth, flipping for another question.

“Y/n, you have been at the top of the standings since the first race of the season Leclerc a whole ninety points behind you how does it feel to be this close to a championship win?” Finally a good question.

“It feels incredible, this year with McLaren has felt amazing the car just clicks with me and we are all very excited to be a contender this year.” And it was true after your first year with Aston Martin then getting to McLaren the next it felt right you could feel it in your bones this was your year.

Sarah smiled satisfied with your answer then turned to your fellow driver. “Mick its been a rough start with you earning no points in your F1 career, but how are you and your team feeling about this upcoming race?” Mick shrugged and you could tell that talks of you getting this close to a championship bugged him. “Well we are working on the car I’m sure it would be easier to get points if my name opened doors to bigger teams.”

You laughed out loud at the supposed burn. “Oh Mick my last name doesn’t steer the car, and it doesn’t get you a better seat as you’re a prime example of.” By now you and Mick were in a stare down, interview be dammed.

“YYYY/NNNNN SSSEEEENNNAAAA!!!” You broke the glare to see your teammate Daniel shout your name, his smile easing your anger. He saw the tension rising and made the decision to separate you both. Daniel smiled over your shoulder to Sarah telling her some bull story about Zak needing you, but she bought it not one to outrank a principal.

You turned to Mick giving probably the fakest smile. “See ya when i lap you” he nodded clinching his jaw, blue eyes turning into daggers. “Go fuck yourself”

Dan started pulling you away but you shouted back over your shoulder.

“I’ll think of you when i do!” Throwing a finger wave in for extra effect. Successfully stunning Mick to silence. Y/n 1-0 Mick.

You walked away with your head held high glad to have gotten the last word while Dan stumbeld behind, “That was an interesting come back. Since when are you into mini Schu?” He spoke his brows practically in his hair line.

“Uh never! It was just to make him uncomfortable.” Appalled he would even consider you having any feeling other than hate for the Hass driver.

“Oh i definitely think his race suit is more uncomfortable now.” His statement made you stop in your track. “No way.” “Yes way.” Dan laughed. “You didnt see how he looked at you when you turned around.” He hummed and you both carried on walking.

“With distaste more than likely.” You scoffed.

“I think you’re just his taste actually.” He suddenly stopped grabbing your shoulders positioning you to look at the huge pictures of you and Mick side by side advertising the rivals.

“Look how cute you guys look together.” He cooed, laying his head on your shoulder, which you quickly shrugged off.

“Just saying the line between love and hate is very thin.” The space between his pintched fingers was minimal emphasizing his point, making you roll your eyes. The rest of the day was boring and you just wanted to get back to your hotel room and get ready for qualifying tomorrow.

you were already running late having slept through the first two alarms you set. You were distracted by tying your boots and hopping down the hallway at the same time, you didn’t have a chance to see who was in the elevator before the doors shut trapping you together.

“Senna.”

“Mickey.” You sighed knowing who’s voice that belonged to without having to turn around. “There’s no one else here you can drop the attitude without ruining your image.” Did he just sass you? You spun around about to give him a piece of your mind when the lights flickered, making you both freeze. The elevator jurked to a stop making you fall backwards into Micks chest.

His arms wrapped around your waist instinctively, holding you tight against him. “Uh Senna?” “Yeah?” You breathed out. You felt Micks breathing against your back the steady rise and fall distracting you along with Daniels words from yesterday.

“I think it’s safe now.” He softy spoke squeezing your hips making you jump out of his grasp and fix your shirt trying to appear unbothered. Mick smirked at you behind your back as he pressed the help button. Which gave an automated voice saying they will get to it as soon as possible, making both your spirits drop.

“Well get comfortable.” He said leaning against the wall across from you, sitting on the floor. You mimicked him redoing your hair into a messy bun on top of your head, holding the bill of your hat between you teeth, you breath involuntary caught in your throat as Mick leaned closer gently pulling your hat out from between your lips, holding it for you. With that sweet aggravating look of his.

“That’s not very lady like.” He teased, Dodging your hand that went to snatch your hat back. He leaned back tracing the logo and your number sewn on. He hated to admit it but it was kinda cool. “I’m a race car driver I’m not lady like.” You grumbled trying to reach for it again, falling and catching yourself before you fell on top of him, ending up nose to nose, were his eyes always that blue or was it lack of oxygen.

“Clearly.” He agreed, placing a hat on your head, Snapping you out of it. “Why does your hat say Y/n?” He asked confusing you, does he really not know. “It’s my name genius.” He rolled his eyes, “i know that by why not Senna.” His question made you pause, were you both actually having a civil conversation and were you going to allow it.

“When Aston signed me they only called my Senna, but McLaren let me step out of my fathers shadow a bit and make my own name for myself not just my last name. I’m sure you understand.” Mick wasn’t expecting that much of an honest answer from you, he was waiting for you to tell him to mind his business, then a lightbulb went off in his head. “Wait, is that why you don’t call me Schumacher?”

You shrugged finding the loose string of your shirt very interesting. It was much easier being around him when you were bickering. Mick couldn’t believe it, what he thought was you disrespecting him was actually you being kind to him and being the only person not to connect his driving to his fathers, were you just defending yourself when he snapped back? he didn’t know how to feel.

“Now i feel like an ass for Calling you Senna.”

“Oh i definitely think you’re an ass.” You teased your cocky smile back on your face. There’s the Y/n he knew. Your escape wasn’t long after that and you practically sprinted to the track not noticing the hat on your head wasn’t yours at all and he had switched it with his Hass hat until the paparazzi posted the photo of you running and Mick smugly wearing your McLaren hat behind you, with the headline. ‘Rivals to lovers?’

You made pole position in the race a sweet victory for your team, you were laid in your room after media, typing away on YouTube like you always did for background noise, how you got onto Hass YouTube page you’ll ignore but you didnt notice it until a knock on your door sounded.

“There’s our future champion, woah do you have a boy over?!” Daniel sang, when you opened the door, your brows furrowed not realizing he could hear the tv. At the chance to embarrass you he pushed passed you expecting some Frenchman in your room coming up empty, then he saw what you were watching.

Raising his eyebrows he slowly spun to face you. “Oh, what a turn of events this is.”

“I dont know what you mean i didnt put it on!” You defended turning the tv off. “Sure you didnt.” He scoffed throwing the Hass hat on your bed from your dresser. “Means nothing.”

At his look you knew you had to explain. “We got trapped in the elevator he switched our hats that’s it.” He nodded along not believing a word. “And you talked to him?” “Words were probably exchanged.” You shrugged, Daniel was loving this, having already gotten the details from Vettel. The two drivers were your biggest shippers. Seb knowing how big of a crush Mick had on you from when you first joined F1, and Dan just loved the drama.

Just as he was about to tease you more your phone dinged. Making Dans eyes light up. “Is that him!” He squealed. “No.” You scoffed sighing when you looked at the screen dropping your arms to your side.

“It is him you’re blushing!” He gasped like a school girl. “It’s hot in here!” You denied but did feel butterflies at the congratulations text. “I want y’all’s kid named after me.”

Somehow you and Mick became friends carpooling from the hotels to track, interviews together now being about racing not just your names. The next race weekend you even had a Hass care package in your room from Mick saying his hat was your good luck charm. You won that race too, much to his amusement and he even scored in the points. The media loved the video of him spinning you around both covered in champagne.

The kiss you shared after your home win outed you both plus the photographs of you and Micks family on summer break did as well, his sister posting on social media a photo of a tense chess match between you and her brother with the caption ‘rivals on and off the track’ made the fans lose their minds.

Now seated next to each other during a press conference the other drivers teasing you seeing the heart eyes you both shared between questions. “Question for Y/n, with both you and Mick, having big names in F1 who’s name would you take if you get married?”

“Mine.” “Mine” you and Mick answered simultaneously. Making the room laugh. Mick who tried to seem serious, looked at you. “What about when we have kids they would have my name.” He laughed. And you shrugged playing along.

“Technically one already has Daniels name.” Making his eyes widen. And Daniel fall to the floor from somewhere behind the reporters. “Excuse me!”

“How about whoever has the most championships by the time we have kids that’s the name they get.” You offered knowing you were one race away from winning your first. Making Mick shake his head fondly at your antics. You humor and teasing that used to drive him up the wall now was his favorite thing about you, he loved it.

“Deal.”

That press conference ended up having the highest views in history because there’s only one thing people and Daniel and Seb loved more that rivals and it’s the story of enemies to lovers.

Next up. Lance stroll as marriage of convenience

Hope you guys liked it the first of the F1 romance tropes down more to come if youd like to be added to my F1 tag list please let me know!!!

F1 tag list. Note I only have one tag list it’s to hard to separate them by driver so if you’d like to be removed please send me a message . @starxqt @motylekrozi @yeolsbubbles @laura-naruto-fan1998 @mooone90 @damianodavidhands @zig-zzag @its-astrotea-love @peakywitch @obsessed-fan-alert @lenniebordeaux @marelovesf1 @capela-miranda @enjoymyloves @amsofftrack @coffeehurricanes @ricsaigaslec

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ladyloveandjustice · 1 year

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Anime Recommendation: Raven of the Inner Palace

I said I wanted to give this one more attention since it got lost in the shuffle of last season, so here we go! Raven of the Inner Palace is a supernatural mystery series set in a fantastical version of ancient China. It’s bursting with ghosts, bloody demises and courtly intrigue. It’s fast-paced, dramatic, beautiful, and has some heartwarming character development at its’ core. If you want an extra reason to give it some love, it’s an adaptation of a story aimed at women, which is increasingly rare in the modern anime landscape.

The series follows a mysterious woman dubbed “The Raven Consort”. She’s isolated and confined to the inner palace, and (as the intro narration likes to remind you), she’s skilled at the mystic arts and does not have any nighttime duties despite her title (meaning she doesn’t have to sleep with the Emperor, or even answer to him). Even the new Emperor, who only just recently retook the throne after being ousted by a spiteful relative, has no idea who she is or what her true role in the court is, but he’s understandably intrigued.

If you like ghosts, episodic supernatural dramas that form a larger mythological arc, cut-throat palace politics, careful character development, and/or sweet romances that develop from a strong friendship, this a show for you. The general premise of the series is the Emperor or another court official will come to Shoxue, the Raven Consort, with news of a ghost, and she’ll figure out how to help the ghost cross to the other side (or in some cases, forcefully exorcise them). As Shoxue solves these problems, we learn more about her, how she came to be the Raven Consort, and the terrible truth behind her role.

If you know anything about ancient Chinese imperial history, you have probably accurately guessed the show gets very dark. There’s tons of suicides, beheadings and other executions, people being persecuted, servants being tormented and so on. Probably the biggest thing to warn for is that one of the eunuch’s backstories involves csa. The show always treats it seriously and rarely gets graphic all about it, though the show’s final episodes have a few surprisingly bloody moments. (Also one of the problems of the week involves romanticized sibling incest- it’s easy to miss the line referencing it, and it doesn’t end well for them, but still something note).

It doesn’t feel like edginess for the sake of edginess though, just an acknowledgement of the consequences of the rigid social roles the characters adhere to, and a natural extension of the commentary on the rigid role Shoxue herself is forced into. When her backstory is revealed, it definitely feels like there’s some commentary on how women with power are punished, though we don’t get far enough in the story to see if the anything meaningful will come of it.

And amidst all the drama, there’s something sweet going on here- throughout the show, we see Shoxue slowly go from someone who’s completely isolated to someone who forms warm connections with not just the emperor, but a variety of new friends who see past the creepy stigma surrounding her. Seeing Shoxue awkwardly navigate her new relationships is part of the charm of the series.

Also, they do this cool thing where the little flashback tales are done like Chinese shadow puppets:

The Emperor is definitely set up as Shoxue’s love interest. The first episode has him act a little pushier than he will for the rest of the series (they do the ‘it seems like he’s going to come on to her in bed but he actually just falls asleep” thing). During the rest of the episodes, he seems to want to be her friend first and foremost before going further and tries not to push her too much. It just becomes a sweet underlying relationship where they try to understand each other. Shoxue leans a little into mild tsundere stereotypes at times, but there’s good reasoning given for why she’s so prickly. And there’s hints at the Emperor having his own emotional struggles, and that the power he wields might cause issues that divide them down the line, so it would be interesting to see where that goes.

It's overall an elegant, slightly spooky character drama. The anime has a quick pace- often throwing a lot of information at you and insisting you keep up- but that also means it’s never boring, and the animation can be quite nice and fits the ethereal nature of the show. If anything in here sounds like your jam, I strongly recommend you check it out!

#raven of the inner palace #kokyu no karasu #anime #my reviews #anime overview #fall 2022 anime #recs

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starlithumanity · 6 months

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So Our Flag Means Death often functions as a metaphor where piracy represents the film industry. Ed is the burnt-out superstar actor/director, Stede is the wealthy but fumbling newcomer full of creative ideas, and Izzy is the power-hungry manager who fails to find success on his own. The crew represents the various support people in filmmaking, while the colonial powers represent the capitalistic system that does so much damage in so many parts of the modern world.

The traumatic nature of fame is explored in-depth throughout the show, including commentary on how people coming into places like Hollywood have often been inspired by family-related trauma, are running from more "typical" lives that they couldn't have survived, and continue reliving their past traumas in their current situations. There's a strong indication that Ed has had to mask his true self to fit the image expected of him as a celebrity. The inclusion of queerness/neurodivergence, I think, both reflects how many "atypical" people work in the arts and indicates how Stede's methods are more welcoming.

What I find interesting is how this topic is addressed with a further layer of metaphor through the curse of the red suit in season two episode five. The suit represents fame and the trauma that surrounds it, specifically following Ed's violent breakdown. The crew has seen the repurcussions of working in this industry too long firsthand now, and they are having A Response to it.

(GIF Source: skulandcrossbones)

Stede still wants to be the celebrity. He's waltzing around in that suit with massive queer flamboyance, and he's loving it. He doesn't think the trauma is going to be a problem for him. Izzy doesn't seem to believe the trauma should put people off of working to become successful/famous in this industry, but he also recognizes that things need to change for the crew to keep functioning.

Jim was the character who seemed the most clearsighted about what was happening during Ed's breakdown, probably because they've had similar experiences with trauma and masking and its mental health impacts thanks to Nana pushing them to "succeed", and they are also the first one to hear about and react to the cursed suit. Archie and Oluwande side with Jim. Frenchie, Roach, and Wee John take longer to recognize the problem, but they do get there.

Meanwhile, Fang, Ed, Lucius, and Pete are having more direct reckonings with fame-triggered trauma. Fang and Ed discuss Fang's choice to move on from both their actions, and Lucius has already expressed that "some people are just broken," which I think may be a reference to himself now too. They cope through sitting quietly with their feelings, connecting and celebrating with loved ones, making different kinds of art, and seeking a bit of retributive justice. (Though that last one is somewhat satisfying, it doesn't fix the trauma or the relationships.)

Stede finally comes around to the idea that he needs to let go of the suit for the crew's sake, which is foreshadowing for this season! He does keep a more muted version of the outfit, though: his delightful red-and-black ruffly shirt. Ed later compliments that shirt (he thinks Stede wears his own work/fame-seeking well 🥺), leading to their romantic moment on deck. So maybe the culture Stede is building for his metaphorical filmmaking work is okay, since it differs from the trauma-steeped fame full of abuse that Ed has been through as Blackbeard.

Now, I know the show does generally present the curse of the suit as a silly concept--except. Except magical things do happen on this show, like with Buttons. Except the Spaniards who first had the suit did look like they'd been through hell. Except demonic, haunting whispers do accompany the suit on its first and last appearances. I think the writers thus indicate that the curse (Hollywood fame being traumatic in our modern culture) is real--maybe only for people who aren't Stede, or maybe for everyone. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Who can say? Stede didn't stick with the typical way of doing things long enough to find out.

#(i also think ed works in horror and stede works in comedy based on their fuckeries but hey)#edward teach #our flag means death #stede bonnet #gentlebeard #ofmd spoilers #izzy hands #jim jimenez #archie #oluwande boodhari #frenchie #roach #wee john feeney #fang #lucius spriggs #black pete #my stuff #ofmd s2e5

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brongusthearcanist · 1 month

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My favorite, and the most important part of any redemption story is what I call "the quiet". Prince Zuko is one of the best redemption arcs we have ever had on screen, and is at this point is what many of us think of first when thinking of a redemption arc. And there is a lot they do right, like one of my favorites, the relapse, but the quiet is the most pivotal in my opinion. This is when our bad-boy™ has actually achieved exactly what they've always wanted, and there is no where else to go, the fight is over, and they must now think on what they've done. For Zuko it's returning to the Fire Nation as its Prince, and having to finally sit with his culture and slowly realize where it all went wrong, and where he went wrong.

An even better example comes from the next best redemption since TLA is She-ra and the princess of power's Catra. Like Zuko she is the main antagonist for several seasons, rather than wanting honor she wants respect and control (among other things), something she never had as a child. Spoilers if you have never watched it, you should, there is very little reason not too. Season 4 ends with Catra succeeding in summoning the big boss that she believes will help her destroy the rebellion. She assumes Hoard Prime will see her as an equal, and reward her with more power. But he doesn't, Hoard Prime sees her as less than a servant, unholy and unworthy of trust or advancement. While she is repeatedly told she is an honored guest on the ship, she is more of a prisoner. She has nowhere to go, no more power to grab to distract her from her insecurities, nothing to distract her from her pain. She is forced to sit in the quiet and feel the pain and sadness she has been putting off. She has to relive everything she's done and not only understand that it was wrong, but also why she felt it was "okay" at the time, and the underlying issues that caused it. It's fucking beautiful.

Also if you've watched and enjoyed the last airbender you will probably like She-ra. I think a lot of you have avoided it because you think it's a show for little girls. Which is weird cause everyone tells you your show is just for little boys, and you understand why they're wrong but you refuse to undo the misogyny that would let you see the same is true for She-ra. It depicts a lot of adult themes, it is a little goofy and often childish, but it's depicting children so that's kinda a given. Please watch it, it's a fantastic finished animation.

#avatar the last airbender #zuko #she ra and the princesses of power

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yukipri · 1 year

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The Bad Batch Ep S2 Ep 11 - Thoughts & Spoilers

Spoilers,

So everything's beneath the cut!

I know with the Mando S3 premiere, this episode may have gotten even less attention than the rest of the show. BUT this episode had some incredible things, so here are *some* of my thoughts.

FIRST:

HIM!!!!! and he was NAMED and had LINES!!!!

This is super exciting, because while we glimpsed Scorch in Season 1 while they were rescuing Gregor, I don't think he was mentioned anywhere by name, meaning it could have just been a random other RC with similar paint.

Delta Squad (from Legends) was technically canonized when they cameo'd in the Clone Wars, but it's so nice to see them again! It makes me pray that the other 3 members have escaped and are with Rex, because Scorch is *definitely* still super chipped....

Next, the MAIN thing I was super excited about:

So many things in this episode made me absolutely SCREAM, but the main one was probably FINALLY some movement on the connection between Nala Se and Omega. That's something I've been dying for more elaboration on since S1.

Omega is clearly a kid created for a specific reason, raised under specific circumstances, who has a unique bond with Nala Se, the primary creator of all clones. I was sure this would be part of the central storyline of TBB so I'm SO GLAD we're finally getting to it.

The thing is, Omega clearly has very complex feelings towards Nala Se, and Nala Se also considers Omega "special." SUPER curious to see where they go with this, especially since Nala Se seems to be reluctant to help the Empire. Understandable, given the destruction of Tipoca City, but she also never struck me as the sentimental type. I'm personally very wary of the "care" Nala Se seems to be showing Omega, and based on what we currently know, doubt that she means it sincerely—Omega (or her DNA) is likely valuable in some way.

Not sure how I'll react if they paint Nala Se as a sympathetic character, because I doubt I'll ever forgive her for what she did to Fives. Her treatment of Fives, which is also indicative of her treatment of all other clones. Her being kind(?) to Omega doesn't erase that.

I am absolutely confident that this lab and Nala Se/Omega is part of a plot that will connect to the experiments done to Grogu, which in turn will connect to Snoke + the return of Sidious in the ST. That's the running thread, to provide explanation/justification for that "twist."

While I think TBB is fun, THIS is what I personally was waiting for—Omega's true identity and why she's of value to Nala Se, how she therefore fits into the greater plan Nala Se had, and how that in turn affects not just Fett clones, but all the cloning that runs throughout SW.

I also LOVED that Omega showed her skills here—yes, she DOES know her way around Kaminoan tech!! The only time we've really seen it before is when Cad Bane kidnapped her + the S1 finale. She was Nala Se's personal MEDICAL ASSISTANT. She is older than the Batch! She KNOWS things!!

I was genuinely expecting (hoping) to learn more about Omega throughout the entire show, and we do see her being skilled + confident around various tools, but that's around it. I hope her past that she doesn't want to talk about is dragged out into the open in these last few eps.

I have a LOT of theories about Omega's past and her connection to the Batch and their origins (pst it's all in my fic), some of which will likely no longer be canon compliant, but ah well!

Other things that really made me happy:

-The Batch showing some growth due to the last episode, and growing a spine to stand up against Cid. Both pointing out that she didn't help them like they've helped her, and demanding a higher cut, though she did get the final say in the end. It was still a massive improvement!

-The ZILLO BEAST. First of all, it was definitely one of the coolest creatures in TCW, so it was super exciting to see it brought back! Its physiology is fascinating, and I loved how we got to see it visibly grow due to it feeding on electricity. This is actually the second creature we've encountered in TBB that seems to like electricity as an energy source, the first being in S1. It's neat to see this pattern, perhaps they're distantly related species?

I also LOVED that it tied into more experiments. I need to rewatch the eps, but i think it was implied in TCW that Palps was interested in the Zillo beast's armor, so I loved seeing that actually followed up on!

In general, I'm just a huge fan when world building plot points connect or are followed up on to build continuity and a greater view of the SW universe, and this episode definitely connected a bunch of points, so that was awesome!

Anyway, only 5 eps left of S2, excited to see where it goes!

#the bad batch #TBB #the Bad Batch Season 2 #TBB S2 #YukiPri rambles #Spoilers #TBB spoilers #the bad batch spoilers

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ordinaryschmuck · 1 year

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What I Thought About “For the Future” from The Owl House

Salutations, random people on the internet who are already skipping past this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck! I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons!

…So, “For the Future” got leaked, like, two weeks ago. And everyone hated that.

Well, the people who were going to pirate the special anyways due to their “legitimate” reasons loved it. But for the fans who wanted to support The Owl House while it was on its last legs? Yeah, needless to say, people were angry.

And the special got leaked for dumb reasons, too! Some dumb-dumb from iTunes accidentally put the episode up early for people to buy and then proceed to spread like wildfire. Because when you make a mistake like that, you need to correct it the SECOND that after it’s been made. Let it linger, and you’ll come to regret it.

Some compared it to the situation with Amphibia and the episode “True Colors,” but I wouldn’t really say it’s THAT bad. There, it was carelessness on Disney’s part to delay the episode SUPER last minute and not warn iTunes to do the same. Here, it genuinely seems like an accident caused by some dumb dipstick not paying attention. It’s one of those situations where NO ONE could have prepared for it, least of all the fans who found out too late that the leak happened and spoilers were already flooding EVERYTHING. Miraculously, I made it through the whole two weeks by only seeing ONE genuine spoiler. I’m honestly amazed by that.

And for those saying they have “legitimate reasons” for pirating the special, there’s no legitimate reason to LEAK it. Doing that is disrespectful for the show and the people who work on it, hurting the viewership and numbers they need to know people liked it. Plus, if you don’t care about that, it ruins the fandom experience, because it leaves fans with no outlet to share theories and thoughts about the special without fear that they’ll lure in anyone ready to spoil everything. I remember when the trailer finally came out, I felt SO hyped yet SO angry because I couldn’t talk about ANY of it. That’s what happens when you leak a special from a series people love.

Now, the question is this: Was it worth it?

Well, no. It’s never worth ANYTHING to screw over a show like this. But was it worth the wait? I mean, despite the quality of the special, it’s always worth waiting to support The Owl House the RIGHT way.

But to humor the dinguses who leaked “For the Future,” let’s dive in and see how good it really is.

*Spoilers below…even though you probably already know everything that happens by now*

WHAT I LIKED

Showing Us What Happened: Off to a great start already!

A part of me, going in, was a little hopeful that the special would begin with Luz and the others coming to the Boiling Isles and learning what happened as they went on. I figured that the expectations of what the Collector would do the second he has the freedom to go nuts would have been too high to live up to, so it'd be for the best...not to show it. With that said, I don't mind that the writers did. It gives us a taste of what's to come while, to my surprise, living up to so many expectations I had. We get to see the damage the Collector causes, what they do to the people on the Isles, and how a few people react to it.

Plus, a few bonus stuff within that.

Lilith Going to Save King: Have I ever mentioned how much I adored Lilith changed since Season One? This woman went from snobby to throwing herself at a literal god to save her nephew. It backfired immediately, but at least she was kind enough to try.

Though, quick note, maybe don't show Lilith getting transformed. Hooty is fine because he never turns back, but if Lilith is going to change back off-screen anyways, you might as well not change her at all. We see a lot of others get spared off-screen, so why NOT make it the same with her? Speaking of which…

The Collector Turning People into Puppets: It's not the worst fate in the world, but it's not the best. Sure, everyone's still alive, and the Collector--THANKFULLY--doesn't torture them. Yet that doesn't change how this is something truly twisted. These people...are not sentient. About anything, really. They're only truly "alive" when the Collector is playing with them, and even then, they're not really all there. They're more like toys, which is pretty much the point. To the Collector, these people are nothing more than playthings to a higher being--Holy s**t, Tinella Nosa really DID call that, huh?

But, yeah, this is a decent way of establishing how the Collector is unlike any threat before. People might not be able to change back unless HE wills it so, meaning that for the characters to win, they need to convince the Collector to turn everything back to normal. Which, judging by how this episode ends...Yeah, good luck with that.

Oh, man, I just referenced something heavy. Time to balance it out with something sweet, STAT!

Eda and Raine’s Moment Together: You'll do.

This moment is short, but through visuals alone, there is SO MUCH that's delivered. There's the elation that they're both alive, Raine's worry (and maybe regret) for Eda now missing an arm, Raine already knowing and accepting that Eda's gotta go save King, and Raine being amazed (and possibly a little aroused) by the sight of Eda as a harpy. It's honestly everything I could have asked for and more, given that it's a perfect scene where the music and facial expressions say so much that words can't. What more can I say about it, really? Nearly two minutes in, this special got me hooked.

There’s Someone or Something in the In Between: And nearly three minutes in, and the special has got me INTRIGUED.

I'm honestly surprised how I almost forgot about that...person? Thing? Whatever they are/it is, I forgot about them because SO MUCH happens in this special that it nearly slipped my mind. And I truly hope the same won't be for the writers because I WANT to know what the deal is with this thing. Because from what we can tell, they're...trapped? Looks like it. It even looks like they were trying to get Luz's attention for help. I'm not sure what's going on, but that's what's fun about it. Not knowing something and wanting to figure out what it means is the basic, bare-bones necessity regarding storytelling. As long as we eventually get a satisfying answer, I don't mind being left in the dark for now. As long as, again, we DO get an answer. But I'm not worried about never getting one. These writers are pretty good at making one connective narrative this season.

Hunter’s Anger: For instance, this. Hunter's rage over wanting to kill Belos is not only justified in every conceivable way, but it also functions to make "For the Future" the direct carry-over from "Thanks to Them." Now, that's to be expected, but I'm glad that, even though Hunter's NOT the main character of this story, the writers didn't forget or gloss over what happened. The poor boy lost his best friend, who was the first thing ever to give Hunter any sense of true joy. I would honestly question a few things if he didn't act even the tiniest bit bloodthirsty. So, I'm glad the writers gave Hunter time to process his pain and anger rather than making him stoic or emotionless throughout "For the Future." I honestly thought they were going for the ladder, so I'm more than grateful to be wrong for once.

Luz Still Choosing to Stay Back in the Human Realm: Just as I'm grateful that THIS carried over too.

Luz's problems from "Thanks to Them" weren't fully addressed, so it's great that a good chunk of "For the Future" is about her learning to let go of her guilt. Even better, it's Camila who's the one to do it. I'll talk about their big scene together later, don't worry. But for now, I want to gush over how perfect it is that Camila's the one in the main cast who's trying to help Luz with her problem. The woman went from begging Luz to stay in the Human Ream to accepting that Luz would want to remain in the Boiling Isles. And not wanting to have Luz make a mistake she'd probably regret for the rest of her life, losing the close friends and family she's made there, Camila does all she can to make Luz feel better about herself. What's more spectacular about this is that Camila doesn't reveal Luz's turmoil to her friends. A.) It would put more strain on them than they already need. B.)It's not her place to. She respects Luz's privacy, and even when asking for help, she does nothing more than imply what's wrong. She wants to fix this herself because, well, she's a mom. Moms help their babies when they need it the most. And...dang it, if I didn't love Camila already, I love her even MORE now! It's so good!

Camila’s Hungry for Vengeance: Same thing with this. I’m right there with you, Gus. I’d PAY to see Camila beat the snot out of Belos with her bat.

Camila Trying to be Supportive: Emphasis on trying. Camila's still freaked out by pretty much everything around her and has a MILLION more questions every time she's greeted by something new or strange, but for Luz's sake, Camila does her best to be supportive. It's more evidence of why Camila's such a great mom. She might not fully get what to love about the Boiling Isles, but she tries. She tries than actual irredeemable monsters that cause true pain to their family. Speaking of...

Belos: Oh, I'll get to what this f**ker does soon enough, don't worry. But first, I want to discuss how much I liked what the writers did with Belos in this special. The fact that he's haunted by the sins of his past and completely ignores them says pretty much everything you need to know about Belos. He doesn't care about these spirits trying to guilt him. If anything, he gets angry, standing firm that he has nothing to be ashamed of, and there's nothing some random spirits will change about that. Nor does he care about life. He has these backup grimwalkers that are all nothing more than flesh puppets to him. These things can be people of their own, and Belos uses them to further his life and finish his misguided agenda. This man is bitter evil to the end, and I'm all for that. I like irredeemable villains.

Plus, I adore that despite the Collector being the primary threat this season, Belos is still the main antagonist. The dingleberry manipulates the situation to his desires, only now he's using the Collector as his latest tool. I am totally one-hundred percent on board with this decision because while the Collector is a decent threat, Belos makes more thematic sense as the show's big bad. His ideals go against everything the series stands for, about freedom, acceptance, and that it's ok to be whoever you want to be. He takes away and perverse so much of that, and it's all a part of why he's the best villain Disney's had in a while.

...Felt weird praising a scumbag like him for so long. Let's talk about a character that's actually a good person.

Willow Trying to Keep a Happy Face: I did NOT expect Willow to get as much attention as she did. Surprisingly, she manages to have the most engaging sub-plot in the special to me. Speaking as someone who tries their best to be upbeat despite tragedy, wanting to bring good vibes despite the current heartache, I can confirm it's not a healthy mindset to have at times. It's noble to lift spirits up, but it's for your own good to admit that...you're not feeling good. It makes me grateful for Willow's subplot, not only because of its great lesson but because it offers us so much more insight into her character than Seasons One and Two combined. Don't look at me like that. You know it's true. We all know that Willow's a kind person, but seeing how much that kindness puts a strain on her makes for something relatable and engaging to a lot of people.

It's also neat how her story connects with Hunter's. Willow wants to help cheer up Hunter, and Hunter wants to reassure Willow that he IS happy because he has her. It's truly sweet stuff while adding more fuel to the fire with this ship.

But as cute as they are, they ain't the OTP.

Luz and Amity Talking About Palismens: Such a sweet moment between these two!

The backstory behind how Amity got Ghost doesn't offer much that we already didn't know, but it is sweet that she says it to help cheer Luz up. After Luz helped Amity out of her goth phase, she's doing the same, offering the same amount of kindness Luz has been delivering for years. It's...perfect, to be honest, as it shows how much these two will always balance each other out when one is more in the dumps than the other. I love it, and weirdly enough, I love the pain I felt when Luz moved away when Amity kissed her head. Because Luz is so dead set on leaving at this point, she's already trying to create distance between herself and Amity. It hurts to see but in the best way possible...but that DOES mean I could use a little sweetness. Let's double back a bit and discuss a pair that ISN'T romantic (unless you ask my buddy @l-egionaire).

Gus and Willow’s Little Moment: We REALLY needed more scenes like this with these two. We get a story about Willow cheering Gus up when he had a bad day. Through this, we REALLY get a good sense of their bond and why they make good friends (again, unless you ask @l-egionaire). They're...screw-ups who, a lot of the time, rely on each other to get out of their darkest days. Moreso with Gus than Willow because she's basically the older sister he never had (@l-egionaire, I'm sorry. I know it must be killing you to have me say that). It's genuinely adorable, and it's great that we at least got ONE scene this season about these two cute kiddies.

And while on the topic of cute kids…

The Collector: ...What? They're surprisingly adorable.

I might have said it before, but I adore how the writers make the Collector a kid. A kid that can kill us all if he wants, but still a kid. To the Collector, they don't really understand that what he's doing is wrong. It's all a game of pretend where they're a hero surrounded by friends who love him. It's very much NOT the case, but...Ok, do you know how a five-year-old would go out and mess with ants? It's like that. To the ants, it's f**ked up that this gigantic, unstoppable creature is killing them without mercy, but to the kid, they don't really see what's wrong with what they're doing. It's not like they're hurting a person. They're just hurting something small and insignificant. Well, to THEM at least.

It's why I can't really say the Collector is evil or even a villain. Not anymore, at least. I mean, would YOU call your kid evil for messing with something they shouldn't? Or would you say they're misguided and needs to learn what's good or bad? I'd say that describes the Collector perfectly, and I'm not the only one who thinks that.

King Guiding the Collector: A pretty smart move from a writer's standpoint. The Collector, in many ways, is a lot like King. At least, King if he didn't have Luz and Eda checking his ego every ten minutes. It's why King understands the Collector better than others: King KNOWS what it's like to be a kid. Since, well, he IS a kid. King's just one that was raised better and was given more of a moral conscience. So, not only does King try his best to lay boundaries for the Collector, but he's doing some ego-checking too. It's clearly exhausting, as the Collector doesn't easily take no for an answer, but it's something that still, albeit slowly, works. It's why I have no problems with King saying they can reason with the Collector. Mixed in with the understanding and the effort he made in reasoning with them, it makes sense.

Plus, how can you hate a kid who finds the perfect karmic justice for two old broads?

Odalia and Terra’s Roles: Both of these ladies deserved worse. Especially Odalia (I'LL GET TO THAT!). With that said, these are perfectly serviceable punishments. These are two women who hate children just as much as they hate receiving orders. So to have them forced to do everything a child says less they want to be destroyed is a great idea, even if I wish they suffered just a bit more. Because, you know, they deserve it for being such easy-to-hate characters...And since I've brought that up...

Matt: THANK FRICK THAT I DON'T HAVE TO CALL HIM MATTHOLOMULE ANYMORE! My spellcheck thanks you, writers!

Anyways--HOW DID I GO FROM HATING THIS STINK WEASEL TO LOVING HIM?! I'm not kidding. The kid's so...funny! He's a funny character whose false confidence and huge ego make for some good laughs! That was very much NOT the case in his introduction, what with him being, as I've said, a stink weasel, but the writers managed to make it work this time. Mainly because they actually wrote him to be a decent human being...You know what I mean.

A character like Matt works better when he's on the side of good. Use that ego and false confidence for someone that's a bit of a dick, and you're going to make a character that people will hate very effortlessly. That can be fine, as a character that people love to hate can be as enjoyable as one that we love to...love, but you got to do it carefully. Make them too despicable, then they're just going to be more annoying than funny, which was definitely the case for Matt in the beginning. And if you don't make them despicable enough, they'll be funny, but they're practically on their way to being one of the good guys anyways, so you might as well follow through on it. So, making Matt a good guy works better for the character and the audience. But that's just one Hexside student. How's the rest going?

New Hexside: Turns out pretty funny.

Now, initially, not at all. We quickly learned how Hexside reacted to the Day of Unity and the Collector's domination, and it really gets to me how real their reactions are. The fear and panic felt prevalent, and you feel bad for these poor kids as they're forced to witness the end of the world, helpless to stop it.

But after that delicious drama, it's not too long until the jokes come flooding back as we witness what happens when children are left in charge of a school for a few months. The results are exactly what one would expect, with everything being a beautiful series of chaos. The kindergartners are savages, kids eating paperclips, and the students raise a radical statue in Principal Bump's honor that wildly misrepresents him (although that underrated character very much does deserve a statue). It's all pretty good stuff that succeeded in getting a laugh out of me. But some things can be both funny AND heartwarming.

Amity Reuniting with Ed and Em: Like THIS little family reunion that I had hoped to see for MONTHS.

First, you get a touch of something heartwarming as Amity tearfully hugs her brother and sister, with Emira being the one to spin Amity around in an adorable display of affection. And then you have Ed...who runs at Amity in a full body cast, screams in pain as he forces his arms to bend to hug her, and reveals that he's like this because he fell in a well. This boy is the best kind of stupid, and I appreciate every bit of it. I have not laughed this hard with the show in...forever, so believe me when I say that I love this scene for that.

But that's enough wholesomeness and hilarity. Let's get to the ominous and...anxiety building.

The Collector’s Book: This is probably the closest we're going to get to any backstory or explanation of what the Collector is, so, you know...Appreciate it for what it does.

And as interesting as it all is, the lines that the Collector crosses out...gives me fear:

"But should they meddle in our affairs, we'll clean the planet and scorch the air."

Considering how this special ends, I am very much not looking forward to figuring out what THAT means.

I changed my mind. Can we go back to New Hexside? Things are fun there.

Boscha: ...Is it too late to change my mind on changing my mind? It is? Ok...

So, Boscha...I kind of like what they're trying to do with her. Would the special have benefitted by cutting her out? Maybe, but we get more out of Boscha here than the entire series. Now, I'm one of the few people who never cared that she didn't get any development. She was a static character that made for the perfect antithesis to Amity and rival to Willow. But that doesn't mean I'm against the writers trying something, and they...sure did try something. And that's making Boscha go bat-s**t insane without Amity. Ever heard of codependency? Because that's what Boscha's going through. She is so reliant on having relationships and people being with her that being forced to work on her own drives the girl to near insanity. It's why Boscha was willing to team up with the first little psycho she met. If the alternative was to be alone, then it's better to work for a lesser cause than a just one. At least, that seems to be the logic Boscha operates on, and to be perfectly honest, it makes me wish we had time for one more episode to dive deep into this idea with Boscha. What we get is a taste, and a dang good one at that, making it a little disappointing that we'll never explore this side of her again. As is, it's...fine. I like what the writers wer going for, but I just don't LOVE it. It's one of those ideas that would have benefited with more time, especially if the writers were going to force redemption out of her. And you want to know what else would have benefited from more time?

Eda, King, and Lilith’s Subplot: If "For the Future" was just ten minutes longer, I would REALLY adore everything about this little section of it. As is...Well, there's still a lot to love.

I love that Eda and King are still together. I genuinely didn't expect them to be this close this soon, but I'm not complaining. Eda and King sticking together despite this awful situation is something that all I'm here for, and I do adore that out of everyone in the Isles, it's these two that manage to live safely while under the nose of a god who has the potential to destroy everything with a temper tantrum.

I love that Eda's still keeping good spirits despite how dire things have become. She's joking around and taking the same risks she would take on any occasion. She even risks a lot by coming out to talk to Raine, which is just all kinds of bittersweet and absolutely in character for Eda.

And I LOVE that Eda's still cursed. I honestly thought the Collector would take the Owlbeast out of her, but no. She still has to deal with it, and Lilith is the one helping Eda brew potions, which is another little detail I can't help but admire. After causing her sister to deal with years of torture thanks to the curse, Lilith is paying things forward by making the potion Eda needs to stay normal, and it's great. Everything about this is great...My only complaint is that I wish this special was longer.

So much of what happens with Eda, King, and Lilith happens off-screen. Stuff like Lilith changing back, them all finding themselves in this comfortable situation, and researching how to beat the Collector are essential things for the story, and we don't get to see it happen. They don't show that stuff as a way to cut corners with a season with so much to do and little time to do it, and I can understand that. It's why I don't really HATE this for what it is. I just know that this section of the special would be a lot better if we saw more.

Ok, that’s a lot more negativity than usual in the LIKES section. Let’s go for more positivity.

The Return of the Memory Tweezers: I always love it when a series nears its end, it brings back something established in a previous episode. Especially a good one.

And that's what this is: A great callback that has plot relevance. Luz needs to remember something she's seen only once, so they might as well bring out the thing that gives a perfect memory...Let's hope none of the photos get destroyed. Luz has enough problems as it is. Being brainless isn't one of them.

And as much as I want to keep this positivity going…it’s time to get into it…

Belos Taking Over Raine’s Body: Does Dana Terrace hate Raine Whispers or something? Why does she take joy in letting them suffer?!

Once I saw Belos loom over Odalia and the other puppets, I felt so excited. FINALLY, that woman is going to get some real punishment for being the big b-word that she is! And then Belos jumped into Raine...and all that excitement turned into despair.

Odalia was RIGHT THERE! She would have made for a PERFECT meat puppet! Look at this:

That's some quality meat right there...That might be the most risque joke I've made when talking about this show...Ah well.

Anyways, as much as I do not like this, I can't say I hate it. Well, I DO hate it, but that's why I love it. I'm SUPPOSED to hate that Belos did this to Raine, just as I'm supposed to dread the gut wrench of a reunion when Eda finally clues into what happens...Yeah, not looking forward to that.

Can we go back to being positive?

Gus Knew Hunter was a Grimwalker: Oh, yeah. That'll do.

Fans called this one, but it's still pretty cool to have it confirmed. It kind of recontextualizes how Gus tried to cheer Hunter up with Cosmic Frontier. He gave Hunter something to connect with that also happens to help with his inner turmoil. It's pretty powerful, and it's reason #456 of why I love The Owl House: Future episodes make previous ones better now that you know what's going to happen.

There. That was pretty positive. Can we keep the positivity going?

Kikimora: No? Ok…

So, a LOT of people do not like Kikimora. She might be the most hated character in the series if Odalia Blight didn't exist (SHE WAS RIGHT THERE!). With that said...I love Kiki. She's such a chaotic little gremlin that I can't help but adore her antics. Take what she does in this special, for example. Her current grand plan is to be the queen of teenagers. It's so petty and ridiculous that I can't help but love it. If you hate her, I can't stop you. But I can't physically hate someone this chaotic.

Also, Kikimora is pretty adorable when not wearing a cone of shame. And Camila calling Kiki a little red kitten is the best. Man, I love Camila.

Camila and Luz’s Talk: I REALLY love Camila. I might even be IN love with her?

Can you be in love with a fictional character?

Never mind, I just heard what I asked. Let's, uh...pretend I didn't ask that and move on.

Joking aside...this scene is magical. Camila is far from a perfect woman or mother. She admits to that here and now, acknowledging her mistakes, apologizing for them, and promises to do better. It might not make her perfect, but it IS what makes Camila the best cartoon mom to me. She's a woman who tries her damnedest and owns up to mistakes she's made rather than deny that she's made any, like a wannabee meat puppet that I know (SHE WAS RIGHT THERE!). If there's any mother you want to aspire to be, it's, without a doubt, Camila. A woman who shows love when it matters the most, even if there were a few mistakes along the way. I appreciate her for what she is, and you'd better believe Luz does too.

Luz Wanted to be Understood: In "Hunting Palismen," Luz is asked a question: What does she want to be? That question never got answered, and after so many twists and turns, I forgot that was an issue for Luz. So, to have "For the Future" bring it back and finally answer what Luz wants to be. And I am blown away by that answer.

It's an obvious one, in hindsight. In the first episode, it's apparent that Luz's problem is that no one understands her. Not her teachers, classmates, or even her mother. So to have this moment of realizing how it feels to be understood by Camila, to have someone say, "I know how much it hurts to be you," it's an epiphany that Luz didn't know she needed. And the look on her face, mixed with the beautiful colors, makes for an image that gives me goosebumps for the pure joy I felt. And the joy keeps on coming. + Palisman

Luz Gets Her Staff: And she's frickin' happy about it!

GENUINELY happy! In "Thanks to Them," every time Luz smiled, it NEVER reached her eyes. You always saw the sadness she tried her hardest to fight. But here? Luz is grinning ear to ear and being her old goofy self again. And it is EUPHORIC to see my poor girl be the Luz I remember. I don't mind a main character going through an emo phase, just as long as it's just a phase. Funny enough, I prefer my favorite characters to be happy, not miserable.

Hunter’s Powers: The same goes for Hunter. The boy's a SUPERHERO! A lot of us predicted that he'd still do that dash thing with Flapjack inside him, but seeing it is a whole different thing together! Again, I love seeing my favs happy, even if there's a bittersweetness to Hunter's new joy.

But the positivity train doesn’t end there…

Stringbean: I LOVE HER ALREADY!

Stringbean is the cutest little bugger ever, and the fact that she shapeshifts is amazing. As far as we know, no other palisman can do this, making her the most unique one to ever exist. And that's perfect because a unique witch like Luz deserves a palisman that's as original as her. Plus, the others guessing what she might be is a great shout out to fans making the EXACT same theories.

Man, what a perfect, hopeful end to such a great--

Collector Wants to Play a New Game: MOTHER F**KER!

Yeah, believe it or not, the stakes somehow got HIGHER now that the characters are dealing with an ANGRY Collector. And I'm scared. I'm scared of what an angry Collector could mean for the future...pun unintended.

WHAT I DISLIKED

It Got Leaked: I'm not kidding. That's my ONLY complaint regarding "For the Future." We didn't deserve a special THIS GOOD early. I am so glad to have the patience to wait and even MORE relieved that I didn't get spoiled that much because watching this special with a more-or-less fresh mindset is an experience that proves why it's important to wait. The hype of counting down the days, even counting down the seconds, to watch a premier is all a part of the experience. I can't blame people for being a LITTLE impatient, especially if they thought it'd be better to watch it and not worry about spoilers, but to those who leaked it? You get a good ol' fuck you from your pal Ordinary Schmuck. This one is extra special because I didn't censor it.

But, not to worry. There's a chance to redeem yourself. Disney put up the entire special on YouTube, and you can watch it--FOR FREE!--if you live in these regions:

The US

The UK

Australia

Mexico

And other countries

If it's locked out of your region for some reason (and you're apparently so against getting a VPN), then I guess that's the ONLY excuse you have to pirate it. I don't condone it, but I learn my lesson on Reddit. Don't tell fans not to pirate The Owl House. They'll be extra salty about it. However, if you're NOT locked out, there's no excuse to NOT watch it. Clearly, paying for stuff is an issue for people, but since "For the Future" is now free and RIGHT THERE, why not watch it? Like, stow your hatred for Disney just a second, so you can give the people who worked tirelessly on this show the respect they deserve. Because if the views aren't getting close to the millions by the time I post this review, then I'M gonna be salty.

And, yeah, that's the only complaint I have regarding "For the Future."

...

…Also, some obviously cut corners due to not having enough time. Stuff like Boscha's redemption and the stuff regarding Eda, King, and Lilith happening off-screen are big ones to come to my mind. I'm not bothered by this because I fully understand why it's done, but it does leave one a tiny bit irked.

But, seriously, that's about it.

IN CONCLUSION

"For the Future" is another solid A episode! But are you really surprised anymore?

If I had to pick, I'd say I like "Thanks to Them" a LITTLE bit more, primarily because that one feels more like a standalone episode. With "For the Future," it feels more like set-up. It's still GREAT with some fantastic character moments, some surprisingly great scenes of development, and by somehow raising the stakes MORE than they already were! I may want it to stand out more on its own, but it's still necessary as we lead into the grand finale. Plus, considering how the writers have so much to do and very little time to do it, I don't mind a full special of set-up, even if a few corners were cut along the way. I'm still left with something great that I'll be watching and rewatching as I dream of what comes next in the future.

While also hoping, for the show's sake, nothing else gets leaked...Seriously, if ANYTHING about special Numero Tres gets leaked online, I might actually blow a gasket.

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what-do-1000-swords-look-like · 3 months

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So I was in the Jonsa tag because I'm slowly getting back onto my Jonsa bullshit and this popped up as one of the latest posts:

And then I see the ever-so smart tags of someone else when reblogging said post:

To be fair, this op and reblogger didn't tag this post as Jonsa and obviously Tumblr is at it again with their algorithm but I found the content of said post and the assertion that Jonsas are "idiots" and "delusional" to be utterly fascinating.

For one, when the show was airing its final season, I never ever saw any Jonsas claim that it was Emilia's fault that Jonsa didn't get an HEA together at the end. Not in the circles I traveled. That's a ludicrous claim. Emilia had no investment on what Jon's or Sansa's endings would be, together or not.

What Emilia did change however that many have been (correctly) critical of was the dialogue in the throne room scene before Jon 🗡️ Dany. Rather than let everyone see exactly who Dany was, who she had become, she asked D&D to add in the lines of the whole "I couldn't count to twenty" bit. She admitted as much in an interview, stating that she wanted fans to remember who Dany was in the beginning of the show, and D&D obliged. That's a major problem, whether you're a fan of Dany or not, especially if you're a fan. That negated Dany's dark turn completely and her entire arc as a character. It negated why she chose to take such actions and the true ending that she deserved. While I respect Emilia as an actress and as a human being, she was wrong to ask D&D to do that. She's not a writer and/or showrunner. She should never have had that part added in because season 1 and season 2 Dany even was not who season 8 Dany was (or even season 7 or season 6 or season 5). That is the only thing I've seen Jonsas (and other sections of the fandom) be rightly critical of.

The "delusions" and "idiocy" I see coming from some of the Dany stans, though, is truly confounding to the rest of us. "Dany was never supposed to go dark!" "It was bad writing!" "Even Emilia knows!" "That's not how it goes in the books!"

Dany was always supposed to go dark. That's the entire point of her story. Go back and watch the show again. It's always been there. They have always framed her actions as just when really they were anything but. They've always shown the darkness waiting inside her to be unleashed. She was always going to be the final boss in the end.

While the last season was not most people's favorites and things were rushed & mistakes were made, Dany going dark in general is not bad writing. It's actually good writing because it closes up what they've been setting up for her since season 1 (mind you GRRM was involved in writing episodes of the show from seasons 1-4 so even if his books end differently, that part of Dany's darkness is still in there, just saying).

Emilia has self-admittedly blurred the line between herself and her character for some time now. And it's understandable. She played the character for 10 years (another example of an actor I can think of sharing this sort of blurring approach is Jensen Ackles with Dean Winchester after 15 years of him playing that character) and she underwent some intense and dangerous health issues during that time that thankfully she survived and was able to heal from. She has talked about drawing strength from the character during these times and she naturally is protective of the character for all of those reasons. But even she has stated that now when she looks back, she sees where the show was leading Dany all alone. She may have her own thoughts on why the dark turn happened when it did but again, she is not a writer, producer, or director. She also defers to the work D&D did despite being honest about her emotional reactions to Dany's ending when she first read it and afterwards.

"That's now how it goes in the books!" This is probably the most common argument point many Dany stans make that just causes me to repeatedly roll my eyes. This is the show, not the books. Two different universes essentially. Did you not realize the show was adapted from the books? Do you know what adapted means? Do you know that adaptations happen because a story is being transferred from one medium to another? Did the Twilight, Harry Potter, and Hunger Games films all follow the books to the last letter? No. Why? Because they were adapted from a written medium to a visual medium. This has been happening since your parents were toddlers. And did you not notice how there was no Lady Stoneheart or Val or Dacey Mormont or Harry Hardyng or Young Griff? Did you notice how it was Sansa that married Ramsay and not Jeyne? At what point were you going to realize that the show was going to go its own route? Should they have changed the names to Jansa Jark, Son Show, and Myra Jark in order to get your attention? Nanerys Margaryen perhaps? Jyrion Nannister? Black Beetle? Come on now 🤡

I will never understand why people refuse to see what's right in front of them, even when their fave is saying it. And yet they call Jonsas delusional. Okay, then.

Then again:

"Sansa Stark will die screaming"...okay, then.

#i saw this a while back #its been sitting in my drafts #i just find dany stans hysterical sometimes #theyre so hard up to disprove jonsa for anyone who might dare ship it by pointing to Emilia or the books #not a reliable point in either case #because it has nothing to do with what happened in the tv show #too funny #anti dany stans #got #gotposts #fandom bullshit

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princess-of-the-corner · 5 months

Note

One thing to note about RWBY is that it REALLY "grew the beard" over the course of its runtime.

Volumes 1-3 were animated in Poser (software that wasn't intended for use in animation), with rougher backgrounds and more simplistic writing related to complex themes. They were also only ever intended to be an extended prologue to the ACTUAL show, with the Big Twist of the Volume 3 finale being that the climax was actually just the inciting incident to the show's ACTUAL conflict.

Starting from Volume 4, the crew switched to Maya (software that's intended for use in animation), got better at writing more complex topics (the White Fang is treated more sympathetically than in the "Beacon Arc"), and Jaune was actually an interesting character for the entirety of the "Anima Arc" that lasted from Volumes 4-6.

Volume 7 is probably the best season of the show (I don't have a Crunchyroll account and so I haven't had the chance to watch Volume 9 in its entirety yet, even if I know what happens there). It deconstructs the whole "America Saves the World" trope with Atlas, and has some pretty good political satire that wound up being eerily prophetic. Also, Robyn Hill is one of the best characters the show has ever introduced.

Volume 8 contains both the best and worst moments of the series. V8C1-V8C11 features some of the best storytelling and most tense action from the franchise ever, but V8C12 has the overall message of "Okay but, the people who dehumanized Penny over her mechanical body KINDA had a point, let's fix what isn't broken!", V8C13 is a pretty descent villain episode, and V8C14 is by far the most offensive piece of media I've ever been subjected to. But still, up until those last three episodes, it was basically flawless.

I've heard Volume 9 is pretty good, but I'm side-eying everything involving Jaune because I honestly DESPISE the direction they took his arc in. But if we ignore EVERYTHING related to Jaune's role in the Volume, I like basically everything I've heard about it.

RWBY: After the Fall is a very good spin-off novel focused on popular side characters Team CFVY and shows what they've been up to since the Fall of Beacon in Volume 3. it also has a really interesting gimmick, as every other chapter is a flashback to something that happened in Team CFVY's past, further fleshing out their minor roles in the show.

RWBY: Before the Dawn is actual garbage. Sun's character arc (wherein his hypocrisy from the show is actually acknowledged and challenged) and Coco's and Velvet's shiptease are probably the only redeeming qualities. Taking this book into account actually makes Ironwood's reluctance to call Vacuo for help look REASONABLE. 2/10.

RWBY: Roman Holiday is a prequel novel focused on Roman and Neo, but Neo is the true protagonist here. The first few chapters leading up to their first meeting alternate between their perspectives, with the book being largely Neo focused after they finally meet.

RWBY: Fairy Tales of Remnant is an anthology of in-universe fairy tales. You can read it at any point in the series, but the further into the series you are when you read it, the more hints to RWBY's overarching plot you'll notice. While all of the Fairy Tales are works of fiction, some of them are dramatizations of actual events in the shadow war that RWBY's plot revolves around.

RWBY x JL: Super Heroes and Huntsmen is a 2-part film series wherein Team RWBY teams up with the Justice League. Part 1 features the Justice League visiting Remnant (kinda) during the events of Volume 7, and Part 2 features Team RWBY visiting DC Earth after the events of Volume 9.

There's also some ambiguously canonical comics published by DC, as well as 2 explicitly non-canon RWBY/DC crossover comic series. One features alternate versions of the Justice League cast who were born on Remnant, another features Remnant and DC Earth fusing due to Salem tricking Lex Luthor into helping her by playing off of his hatred of Superman. Neither of these crossovers are in continuity with the crossover movies.

Fascinating actually

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ilostmyblueberries · 1 year

Text

Sukuna´s confession

≈pairing : Sukuna X female reader

≈genre : Yuuji and Sukuna are twins, university life, confession time, friends to lovers

≈ WARNINGS: swearing, a bit of alcohol at the very end (it´s uni AU so they are all legal age), kissing, mentions of food

≈ University life can be rough but with the right people around, nothing seems impossible. A story where you and your friends - Nobara, Megumi and Itadori twins Yuuji and Sukuna try to break a world record. But who ends up being the real winner in the end?

≈ this story is related to my other story called Love Change. It can be however read without reading the first one but still, feel free to check it out! <3 Stay safe

The year was coming to its end and winter season arrived sooner than anyone thought. Temperatures dropped to around 10 degrees of Celsius and short days were accompanied by an occasional light breeze. But despite the cold season, the atmosphere was warm as Christmas was coming.

The whole University was decorated with small colourful ornaments in the shapes of stars, bells and candy canes. Lights were stretched out through the halls and staircases, and wreaths were hanging on doors.

You were currently sitting in the library, studying for the last big exam before Christmas Eve. Hunched over a laptop, you finally came to your senses as you straightened your back and stretched out your hands. You looked outside the window and stared at the big Christmas tree that had been there since the beginning of December.

You gazed back down at your screen when a voice disturbed you. „Y/N.“ It was Sukuna, the tougher Itadori twin. „You are gonna help me settle a bet.“ he announced.

„No.“ you replied and tried to get back to your work but he caught your hand, his cold fingers curling around your wrist.

„I wasn´t asking.“

„And I am not helping with anything.“ you tried to wiggle your hand free but it was useless.

„Hear me out first.“ he let go of your hand and sat down in front of you.

You let out a big sigh and took off your glasses. Tired, you rubbed your eyes with your hands and then buried your face inside your palms.

„Okay, so.“ he started, „Let´s say that I made a cool bet.“

„I highly doubt that.“ you crossed your arms, your gaze not leaving his broad frame.

„Don´t interrupt me. I made a bet with Megumi that I could break the Guinness record in the amount of eaten Gyoza under one minute.“ he was looking hella proud as he finished probably the dumbest sentence that he had ever said aloud.

„How much is that?“

„Only 10.“ he smiled widely, little fires of mischief appearing in his dark-brown eyes.

„And how do you plan to include me?“

He grinned, „I need ya to prepare them for me. 11 Gyoza dumplings. And, now to the best part, I need ya to make them a bit smaller.“

„Isn´t that cheating?“ you tried to fight the little chuckle.

„Who cares? I don´t wanna be written down in the Guinness world records, I just wanna prove Megumi wrong.“

„And why should I help you?“ you placed your elbows on the table and rested your chin on top of your intertwined fingers, leaning your whole body in his direction.

„Cause ya know how to make them.“

„How do you know that?“ you couldn´t recall a time when you said to him anything about your cooking skills. It was true that you two talked about food quite often, but mostly about the final product, not the skill.

„We literally talked about it like two weeks ago.“ he argued.

„Two weeks?“

He nodded his head.

You had zero idea how the fuck did this man remember such a thing. But it actually wasn´t the first time. He was really good at recalling small details or acts that you´ve done some time ago. Or maybe he was just making it all up and was lucky enough to be correct every time. But that would probably be even weirder than being able to remember it all.

„So, ya free this weekend?“ he snapped you out of your little train of thoughts.

„That´s not a valid reason for me to do it.“ you started negotiating.

He scoffed, „What do ya want woman?“

„I need to think that through.“

„There´s no time for such shit.“ he backed you into a corner.

You had a bit of a hard time thinking or acting when you were under a pressure. And right now he was creating one. Whether it was intentional or not, he got you there. Plus he became a bit too much of an important person for you to say no.

„Okay, I will do it.“ you said in defeat. „But it won´t be for free.“ you pointed your finger at him. He just grinned again, showing his white teeth.

...

The weekend came around quickly and so you found yourself in a small dorm kitchen with your friend group gathered around a table in the middle of the room. On the counter was placed a paper bag filled with groceries needed for the Gyoza dumplings and a few other snacks.

Yuuji and Nobara were probably the most excited out of everyone while Megumi kept being sceptical about the possibility of Sukuna winning the bet.

The room was filled with carefree energy, which was much needed after all the stressful exams, and with a warmth that was coming out of the heated pan. You put in the first batch of dumplings when Yuuji´s question caught your attention.

„What did you even bet on?“

„Hmm, good question... I don´t know either.“ Nobara looked first at Sukuna and then at Megumi.

„You will learn when he loses.“ a smirk appeared on Megumi´s face that was partly covered with his dark raven hair that was as messy as usual.

„You wish, bitch.“ Sukuna grinned at him, confident in his eating ability.

„Sukuna,“ you called him, „I know what I want in return.“ you flipped over the dumplings with tongs, observing the golden brown cooked side.

„Spit it out.“ he walked over to you and leaned on the counter next to the stove.

„You will bring me croissants from the French bakery in the centre of Tokyo. The one we visited during summer.“ you requested.

„Ain´t that bit too much?“ he voiced out his dissatisfaction.

You held out the tongs and pointed them towards him, „Do not forget what I am doing for you,“ you spoke in a low voice, trying to intimidate him.

He laughed and reached out for your hand. He grasped it gently, his fingers wrapping softly around your knuckles. His hand was warm and gentle as he moved your palm with the tongs away from him.

„Don´t be so reckless.“ he let go of your hand. You pulled your hand back. „And I am not going anywhere.“ he proclaimed.

„Fuck you.“ was all that left your lips. He chuckled at your response and bounced off the counter, walking back to the others.

You reached out for a big white bowl that was placed next to the stove and put in the first dumplings. The time passed by and you managed to fill two bowls with Gyoza. One with exactly 11 dumplings for Sukuna and the other one with roughly 20 dumplings for the others. You placed both bowls on the table and sat on the chair between Nobara and Yuuji. Sukuna and Megumi were seated in front of you.

Megumi took out his phone and opened the stopwatch app. „Ready?“ he asked him.

Sukuna took chopsticks in his hand and nodded.

„Okay, 3... 2... 1... GO!“ Megumi pressed start and Sukuna right away put the first dumpling in his mouth, he chewed it for a few seconds and put in the second.

He was at the mark of thirty seconds when he placed in his mouth the sixth dumpling. Yuuji and Nobara were losing their minds when he stuffed his mouth with the seventh Gyoza. You held your breath in, your eyes never leaving the scenery right in front of you.

Reducing the size of them surely helped him out a lot but he still wasn´t able to break the record as he put only the ninth dumpling in when the time already passed one minute mark.

„Aaaand you lose!“ Megumi slapped his back with no mercy. Sukuna started choking on the food and laughter broke out. Yuuji handed Sukuna a glass of water so his twin wouldn´t die.

„You cheated, didn´t ya?“ Sukuna growled at Megumi, short of breath with his eyes red and teary from the coughing.

„I am not you.“ Megumi laughed and pointed at the dumplings. „You thought that I wouldn´t notice? They are smaller than they should be.“ he shot a glance at you. You smiled innocently putting your hands up in the air in defence.

„You two really shouldn´t hang out together. He is corrupting you.“ Nobara squeezed you in a hug. You tapped her arms lightly, trying to signalize her that you can´t breathe because of her.

„Can´t let her leave.“ Sukuna said and all the eyes landed on him, yours included. The corners of Megumi´s mouth shot up for a brief moment but he quickly put back on his stoic expression.

„Time to carry out the bet.“ he announced calmly.

Nobara´s tight embrace loosened up, and you wiggled yourself free, only to be captured again. This time by no one other than Sukuna himself. He was leaning over the table, his right hand placed on your chin, holding it up. He was observing your face for a moment, taking in all your features. The whole room fell into silence but it didn´t matter, as you felt like there were only the two of you anyway.

Sukuna leaned in and his lips landed on yours. Soft but deep kiss, full of emotions. You didn´t move at all at first but when you felt that he was pulling away, you finally responded. Your whole body released the tension and you came back to your senses. That´s when you realised how much commotion that kiss actually caused as Yuuji and Nobara were screaming and freaking out.

He deepened the kiss for a brief moment and then finally pulled away. You glanced at him. The tips of his ears were bright red but he still somehow managed to keep his cool and a smug smile appeared on his face.

„You are my girlfriend.“ he proclaimed to which Yuuji reacted with an even louder and higher-pitched screech than before, while Nobara was completely losing it and kept shaking the living shit out of Yuuji.

„What if I don´t want to?“ the whole room fell silent, „I don´t want to be in a relationship that is based on a bet.“ you put together the loose ends.

„You don´t get it.“ Sukuna tried to explain himself but all the right words left his mind when he saw the disappointed look on your face.

„It may seem like it but it´s not.“ Megumi stepped in, saving poor Sukuna, „The correct wording of the bet actually was that if he loses, he will have to confess his feelings for you right on the spot. But if he won, I would hav-“ Sukuna jumped in and covered his mouth before he could finish the sentence.

„Enough.“ he growled at the black-haired boy and slowly let him go.

„Well, in that case, I will think about it.“ you leaned back in your chair, the corners of your mouth twitching as you were fighting the urge to smile.

„As if you will say no.“ he scoffed.

„Keep up with this attitude and I will.“

„What´s your problem woman?“ he leaned forward, looking straight into your eyes.

„Can´t you be a bit nicer about it?“ you copied his body language, so you two were just a few centimetres apart now.

The good thing was, that no one was paying any attention to you anymore. Megumi distracted Nobara and Yuuji so the two of you would have some kind of privacy. So the three of them were right now too busy stuffing their mouths with the food and discussing whether is a snake as a pet a good idea or nah.

„Ya know that ain´t my style.“ he laughed at your words, getting even closer to your face, „The maximum of my niceness is this.“ he closed the gap between your lips and kissed you again. This time it was just a quick but passionate kiss, „If you will be mine, I promise that no one will ever touch you or be any nuisance for you. I will make sure that every fucking day of your life is amazing and that you will always have a reason to laugh. I swear to the devil that I will never let you go. And I would even climb to the fucking heaven and tear it whole down to your feet if I will fucking have to.“

You were taken aback by his words but a smile quickly replaced your initial confusion, „You sure know how to be romantic.“ you joked. „But this was probably the prettiest thing that you have ever said.“ you leaned closer to him, „I will gladly be your girlfriend.“ you planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

„I told ya, you won´t say no to me.“ he leaned back with a big smirk on his face.

„It was really nice to hear those words tho.“ you said out loud. Sukuna´s cheeks turned into a light shade of pink, his eyes looking everywhere except you. „It would be really nice to hear stuff like that more often.“ you teased him.

„I can write them down for you from time to time.“ he mumbled so quietly that you almost didn´t catch it. But you were glad that you did because it warmed your heart greatly and a big genuine smile appeared on your face. A smile that was enough to melt the cold presence that Sukuna always radiated and made him let out a merry laugh.

BONUS – the other part of the bet

It was getting late but you guys didn´t mind. Quite a few empty cans of beer were already placed around the kitchen when the singing of Christmas Carols started.

Yuuji who was hardly standing on his feet was of course the main vocalist. One of his arms was wrapped around Nobara and the other one was placed around Sukuna´s shoulders as he was trying to keep himself balanced while he was yelling a song. Not even singing, just yelling.

You were laughing at the scene as your boyfriend was trying to cover his mouth to keep him quiet and Nobara was laughing her ass off at the sight.

You noticed Megumi who was sitting on the other side of the table, smiling at the situation.

You approached him, curious about one thing.

„Megumi,“ you called out his name softly. „What would happen if he won the bet?“

„You promise you won´t tell him that I told you about it?“ he asked and you nodded your head excited that you will get to know.

„Okaay,“ he leaned in, „You know my precious Red Velvet muffins?“

„Of course. They are the best thing in the whole world. I love them so much.“ just the thought of them made you crave them.

„Well, if he won I would have to teach him how to make them. He requested it.“ he quickly added, „Pretty sure that he is jealous that you love something that is not made by him.“ he laughed it off.

„I wouldn´t mind if you taught him how to make them.“

„I am pretty sure that you would make him bake them for you every day.“ he joked.

„Maybeee-“ you admitted, looking at Sukuna who was still struggling to keep his twin quiet.

#Jujutsu Kaisen #jujutsu itadori #jujutsu kaisen imagines #jujutsu sukuna #jujutsu kaisen x reader #itadori fluff #sukuna x reader #sukuna #itadori and sukuna #jujutsu nobara #megumi #anime #anime and manga #anime story #anime scenarios #jujutsu kaisen scenarios

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variousqueerthings · 3 months

Note

Hello again!

Anon here, who asked for advice how to avoid River Song episodes.

First of all, thank you so much for your extremely detailed reply and all the work you put into it.😘

Wow… these upcoming storylines are wild, and reading about it made me cringe a few times. Also reading the summary of the events makes it look like the show’s focus shifted somewhat (more towards the personal/ romantic life of the Doctor???). But I’m sure that won’t be true for the story when I finally watch it, and it just seems like it now, because I read the summarized version.

I’m not sure if I already asked this in my original message… But, as you mentioned in your reply, season 9 is the last time River Song actually appears in DW, which seems kinda odd, given that they are married and she was foretold to be the most important person to the Doctor. Did they drop the character or the storyline??? Or is it still too early for their main story, and most of their time together is still a part of the future (of future seasons) ? Plus after reading your answer, I was wondering if the Doctor had time to get to know her as a person and fall in love with her at all? Maybe I’m thinking way to logical about a TV series “love story”. It all sounds just somewhat icky. Obsession turning into love etc.😕

(In the end I probably should stop guessing and start watching, with the help of your guide.)

And another question...

As implied, I haven’t started with s5 yet. So I was wondering if it would be advisable to watch the 60th DW anniversary episodes with David and Catherine now, given I just finished the Donna & Tenth Doctor arc? Or would it be too confusing without the s5 -s13 knowledge?

Thanks again for your detailed reply!

hello hello again!

I hope the guide is useful (I can fall into the trap of over-explaining that lead to a confusion for others, but hey, it's not for lack of enthusiasm that's for sure!)

I can tell you that there's a whole bunch of storyline that isn't related to the doctor and romance. there's some neat stuff with the doctor and the master (played by michelle gomez) in s8-s10 and I like about that narrative how much it throws itself into the un-nameability and complexity of their arc, but people can and do read it as romantic, which is totally fine. but point is it's far more open + the master and the doctor obvs have that... history

outside of river song, the arc of s5-7 isn't romance-based either (well, the ponds are romancing each other, but the doctor is kind of weirded out and/or curiously fascinated like a kid looking at bugs by the Rituals of the whole thing)

I think river song's narrative is over on the tv-show, because of how that final story in s9 ties it all together. there's this odd thing about the timeline of river song in her seasons where she talks about her and the doctor as if they're meeting backwards in chronological order (so for example at one point she kisses the doctor who's like "oh ok... first time for everything," and she answer sadly when he can't hear her that there's also a last), but this is definitely not actually the case, meaning theoretically she could come back, but if they nominally want to keep this idea of them meeting backwards, it's finished. it's doctor who though, and some characters come back after over 50 years off the show sometimes, so who can say

(I uh... personally don't think the doctor was ever written properly as falling in love with river song and that it's very creepy in its whole construction and that river song never seems to have agency in her narrative, right up until she gets trapped in the library for apparently all eternity to "save" her, but then m*ffat has had the doctor seemingly "falling" for a woman who's been into him since childhood twice now (girl in the fireplace), not to mention that amy pond -- while he does not reciprocate thank goodness -- also meets the doctor as a kid first and as an adult wants to have sex with them, so... that's just a weird thing m*ffat does a few times)

but you don't really get that narrative with the watchlist I gave you, because river song barely exists outside of narratives that are actually about the doctor (no really, she's almost always doing things because of the doctor, for the doctor, so the doctor will notice her, or talking about the doctor)/in which she's a plot-point, it's one of the reasons I actually quite like her final episode -- the doctor falls into her adventure, rather than her assisting his narrative (and it turns out the doctor knows next to nothing about her life, which is frankly another embarrassing anti-endorsement to this fuckn "romance") and that format... actually works for me, it's frustrating how it gives a tidbit of a story that might have been quite fun -- still not the romance though, go away

as for the last question: I know some people who watched the Specials before watching m*ffat or chibnall eras (I actually watched the Specials before I watched most of thirteen, just because I couldn't wait, but I had spoiled myself for the major stuff of that era beforehand). there is character development and plot and lore that gives the Specials extra Spice for sure -- I think the main thing that is Very Good in terms of going the long way around is that one of the core themes of the Specials, the doctor's sheer exhaustion and loss, is really felt a whole lot more, buuuut tbh, I think there's a lot of fun in having seen the Specials first and then going back and building to it, with the second time around being "ohhh so that's why- yeah, yeah this Creechur needs a holiday or something!!!" sometimes knowing where things end actually adds to the fun, youknow

but hold on, I'll ask from a direct source: @aq2003 you watched the Specials first and then went back to catch up, do you feel solid about that decision-making in hindsight?

(in the end though, seriously, watch the specials if you're impatient -- I don't subscribe to delayed gratification. get gratified in any order you want, that's more my personal speed, it'll be fun either way)

#anon ❤#no way to write the word *gratified* without it coming out wrong somehow oh well #we know what's meant #if you want some headline Things Wot Happened to know where we meet the doctor in the specials I can give them to you but honestly #apart from some direct mentions of a few things -- past companions some big Lore Moments in thirteen's era #they're quite accessible I think

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distantlaughter · 1 year

Text

Nico Rosberg, the next Schumi

by Jesko Priess for GQ Germany, 8 March 2010 (x)

He seems like someone who shouldn't be expected to take on too much under any circumstances. Somehow fragile. But Nico Rosberg, 1.77 tall, 69 kilos, is about to change that. In any case, he runs to the hot buffet three times before the interview and loads up his plate. That's no problem, the Wiesbaden native explains to a Mercedes manager standing next to him, who looks irritated. "I work out so much, I can't gain any weight."

Industry prodigy

At a time when belts are being tightened everywhere, Formula 1 is cutting back on its drivers in particular, and on their weight. Last season, the car and driver were allowed to weigh 605 kilograms. But while there is hardly any more potential for savings in terms of materials, there is still room to maneuver when it comes to the drivers. Nico Rosberg could also be a jockey. That's how thin he looks. The 24-year-old is considered the greatest unfulfilled promise in Formula 1. He was already sitting in a Formula 1 car at the age of 17. A record. In 2005, he signed his first contract with Williams. He was considered the prodigy of the industry. But they forgot to provide the prodigy with a competitive car.

Experts believe he can win the world championship

For three years, Nico Rosberg drove behind the field in frustration. Nevertheless, the German was praised. Williams partner Patrick Head said he was a "thinker," for Sir Frank Williams he was the "most exciting driver in the field" and for Niki Lauda a "sensation." The switch to Mercedes gives Rosberg the chance to finally prove that all that is true. For the first time in his career, he sits in a technically mature vehicle. The experts believe he can win the world championship title. Nico Rosberg’s great future could begin on 14 March in Bahrain at the first race of the season. At the moment, however, he still has to deal with a part of the past. Michael Schumacher's comeback. Curiously, the fact that the legend is now a teammate and thus his fiercest competitor doesn't seem to bother him a bit. The exclusive GQ interview with Nico Rosberg - after the cut:

GQ: Mr. Rosberg, let's be honest, are you afraid that you might only be number two at Mercedes, behind Michael Schumacher?

On the contrary. I'm looking forward to our duel. I want to win races. We will fight from day one to see who is number one in the end.

GQ: Do you consider yourself the stronger driver at the moment?

I'm in super shape. And Michael is certainly not quite as strong as he once was. That has to be the case when you've been away as long as he has.

GQ: You're 24, Schumacher is 41. Is he a role model for you?

To be honest, no. Back then, I was always rooting for Mika Häkkinen and was happy every time he beat Michael. My father managed Mika. He's been a friend of our family ever since.

GQ: Your father Keke, himself a former Formula One world champion, also planned your career.

It was certainly in his interest that I became a racing driver. Mika won two titles under his leadership. That's probably what he hoped for from me, too.

GQ: Didn't you have the feeling that he was forcing you into a role?

No, at the time he was looking for something he could do with his son and that would be fun for both of us. But I sensed his expectation that I achieve something in life, and I want him to be proud of his son.

GQ: How did these father-son excursions go?

We drove around France on the weekends in a small caravan, from one kart race to the next. I won almost everything, first the regional championship, then the French one. When I was seven, I had my own autograph cards.

GQ: Are there any moments that particularly stick in your memory?

I still remember my first award ceremony. It must have been in 1996. My father was at a Formula 1 Grand Prix with Mika, and I had actually resigned myself to the fact that he would miss my triumph. Then he flew low over this kart track in Le Castellet in his black private jet, just as I was on my way to the podium. I still have this image in my mind.

GQ: Didn't you ever feel the need to lead a completely different life from your father?

Yes, I did. I wanted to go to university.

GQ: What would you have liked to study?

Mathematics, physics. I already had a place at Imperial College in London, where many Formula 1 designers are trained. A degree in aerodynamics.

GQ: Why didn't that happen?

In 2002, I won the Formula BMW championship, and then I got a place in Formula 1 at Williams. At that point, at the latest, it was clear to me that I couldn't study on the side.

GQ: At Williams, you haven't had a competitive car in recent years. How do you contest a race knowing that?

Every time I drove out of the garage onto the track, I knew I was going to be too slow. No matter how well I drove, I had no chance of being the best. So I drew my motivation from what was achievable.

GQ: Finish?

No, I was a little more ambitious. I wanted to finish fourth. That felt like a victory. In this business, it's always about finding a balance between ambition and patience. Only then will success come. It was important for me to know at the end of a race that I had done a good job. The important people at the other teams see that you're doing something, and that's why they eventually sign you up to drive their top car.

GQ: You can do that now at Mercedes. But what happens if you fail at the next step in your career?

I don't waste a thought on that. I'm not afraid, but it was high time for me to finally take this step. I've been at it for four years now. Haven't had any really big success yet. Okay, I've been on the podium before, finished seventh in the world championships, but that doesn't really count. Others come along and win a race straight away. It was different for me. At some point you get a negative image. People say, "Oh, he's just always racing somewhere, he's not the best." That sticks with you.

GQ: Wasn't it frustrating to see newcomers immediately standing at the top of the podium while you barely made it to the finish line?

Sometimes it was. Especially when drivers like Lewis Hamilton, who I often beat in kart races back then, were standing there. But I'm not envious and of course I don't begrudge him his success.

GQ: You were once good friends with Hamilton, but how do you get along today?

There were times when we even went on vacation together. Nowadays, our dealings are more like buddies, but somewhat superficial. A real friendship is impossible in Formula 1.

GQ: So the drivers are lone wolves?

No, I often feel like the manager of a big company. I'm still extremely young, but I'm already at the helm of a 600-man team. It's a steep learning curve and a huge responsibility. People are all looking to you to feed their families. If you wreck the car, there are fewer presents at Christmas, because the mechanics get a bonus at the end of the year for the points you score or don't score.

GQ: A burden?

Yes, only I try not to think about it. That would drive you crazy.

GQ: There is a rumor that your contract with Mercedes will only run for one year. Is that true?

No, it runs for several years.

GQ: Three, four?

I won't say. But I want to be for Mercedes what Schumacher was for Ferrari.

GQ: At Williams, your nickname was "Britney.” Why?

It was because of my hair and maybe also because I'm a little more vain than the other drivers. (laughs)

GQ: Do attractive people have a faster career in Formula 1?

You have to be able to sell yourself. And of course, it's also about style and appearance. If two drivers are equally good, the one who makes more effort in that area has a better chance. That's important to me.

GQ: Is it a deceptive impression, or are the drivers in Formula 1 getting thinner and thinner?

No, you're right. Especially last year, the teams wanted to compensate for the increased weight of the race cars because of the new hybrid system (KERS). That's not good. I had to lose five percent of my body weight, and I wasn't fat. If you take another five percent off of that, then yes, you're a beanpole. It just can't be right that we should look like ski jumpers or jockeys.

GQ: Do you like to eat?

Yes, very much. Unfortunately, I'm someone who tends to get fat easily. I must have inherited that from my father, I think. The genes. (laughs) But I really like going to gourmet restaurants. Twelve courses. And I eat everything there! There's nothing I don't like.

GQ: Not one little thing?

(thinks) Okay, it doesn't necessarily have to be oysters. But if they're on the plate, I won't leave them there either.

GQ: Do you have any other weaknesses?

You mean besides playing poker online and eating? I read the "Bild¹" newspaper, and I'm a Bayern Munich fan.

GQ: Not a particularly original favorite club…

I couldn't care less. I love the club. My mother is even a bit more fanatical about soccer. She watches every Bundesliga match, and when the national team is playing, she sits in front of the TV with the flag in her hand.

GQ: Is she just as enthusiastic about your races?

No, she never watches them. During that time, she cleans the apartment, turns on the vacuum cleaner and waits until it's all over. I think she's afraid for me. She also keeps telling me not to drive so fast.

GQ: What percentage in your career was coincidence or luck? And what percentage was just really well planned?

The path was planned, but a lot of what happened along the way was coincidence. Meeting the right people, getting the right cars...without really good luck, you'd never get to the top.

GQ: Your father was also your manager until recently. Has that never bothered you?

My problem is that I respect his opinion almost too much. He has so much experience, he's so wise, and he's right about his opinion 99 percent of the time. Even if you think that can't be right, you then realize later, and sometimes it takes three years, that he was right again.

GQ: About what, for example?

I never used to call my engineers outside the races. Racing was a game for me, school was more important. But my father said: You have to show that you're interested in them, to motivate them. And to learn. I didn't understand that. That's clear to me now. You need information to drive the work forward. You can only do that if you know what's going on in the company.

GQ: Have you ever argued with your father?

Yes, often.

GQ: About what?

My father likes to be the boss. He wants to decide where things go, and others should have as little say as possible. I can't accept that. I don't need a dictator. I'm strong enough to go my own way.

GQ: How did it go, such an argument?

I'm not a person who is that emotional. Door slamming is not my thing. I get that from my mother. I always look for a way to avoid arguments. I'm almost a bit of a harmony addict. I wasn't that relaxed as a child. I can remember tennis matches with my dad, crying whether I lost or won. Sometimes I was mad that he let me win. Sometimes I was sure he had cheated. And then we didn't talk for two days.

GQ: Today you manage yourself.

Yes, but I coordinate tactics with my father. For example, in contract negotiations. Negotiating for money is an art in itself, very difficult. Feeling out how far you can go to get a pay rise.

GQ: Like playing poker.

Yes. I played like a maniac for a while.

GQ: In the casino?

No, online. I could have played all day, every day, all week. Only, that doesn't add anything to your life. Zero. Neither do many other things, for that matter.

GQ: What is similarly useless?

Reading "Gala²," for example. (laughs)

GQ: Apart from your father, who in the Formula 1 business have you learned the most from?

Alexander Wurz, my colleague at Williams. He had experience and was very smart.

GQ: Qualities you envy him for?

No, I'm very smart myself.

GQ: You wanted to go to university and, at least that's what I read, you got a 1.2 in your Abitur³…

No. That's been written all over the place for five years, but one newspaper copied it wrong from another. My Abi average was only 2.1⁴.

GQ: Nothing to be ashamed of there either. Anyway, you seem to be an intelligent person. You speak four languages…

There are five. English, Italian, French, Spanish and German.

GQ: Finnish?

Unfortunately not. German was spoken at our house. Or wait. I can do this one. (Rosberg says something that sounds very, very Finnish).

GQ: And that means?

Mouse shit. That's what my mother taught me, she knows every swear word.

GQ: Okay. You speak five languages, you graduated from high school at 16, and you wanted to study mathematics and physics, but you play poker on your computer and read the "Bild" newspaper. How does that fit together?

Does it have to fit? I think it's important to stand by what you do. Regardless of whether others find it strange or not. Other newspapers are just too lazy for me.

GQ: Let's say your name is about to appear on the front page, with a story about your private life underneath. What would you do?

Instinct says fight back! But you have to find a way to accept the rules. You can control how much you want to be present in the media. Like Stefan Raab⁵. He leads two lives. One on TV and one in his private life.

GQ: Your girlfriend Vivian works as an interior designer. Is it important for you that the woman at your side also has a career?

Very important. I just have to be careful not to put too much pressure on her.

GQ: What do you mean by that?

I think, for example, that she finally needs her own website. I think I'm annoying her with that. But I think she is very, very talented. For example, she furnished my mobile home. Parquet floor, beautiful furniture, the walls are covered with stones. My old apartment was not so comfortable. But now I've moved and...

GQ: ...the girlfriend is taking care of the new apartment, of course.

Yes, but don't think I don't have an opinion about it, it's just that I lack the desire, like her, to try out 25 different shades of blue until you find the right wall color.

GQ: As a racing driver, you seem to be more patient.

That's right. Unlike my father, who had the image of being more of a Rambo on the track. I drive cleaner, more precisely.

In your private life, too? When did you collect your last speeding ticket?

To be honest, I drive very slowly. Especially in the south of France, there are so many police on the road. I'd be stupid there. What happens to me sometimes is that my mind is somewhere else and then I miss a solid line or something.

GQ: Is there anything that makes you aggressive when you're driving?

The other day I was in the fast lane and someone put on his blinker next to me and just pulled out. He puts my life in danger, but instead of apologizing, he flips me the bird. That's when I get furious.

GQ: Have you ever been scared in a car?

Privately, in any big city in Asia. It's unbelievable chaos there, a different world.

¹Bild Zeitung, a German tabloid newspaper i.e. the German equivalent of 'The Sun' ²French celebrity gossip magazine ³German equivalent to A-levels/International Baccalaureate ⁴1.6–2.5 gut (good: an achievement which lies substantially above average requirements) ⁵German entertainer and producer

#actually took me a long time to format lol #so like. please read it......... maybe?#nico rosberg #my post #nicology

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tessaliagrey · 1 year

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So, I finally managed to catch up watching The Mandalorian. 😊

A lot of things I read over the last weeks is that people used to love the first two seasons and now hate the third.

Anybody who’s ever been on my blog or read my fics over on AO3 knows I love Bo-Katan to bits - but still, I do have my issues with this season, too. And while some people on here are sitting in the proverbial desert yelling “Feloniiiii” in a Maul-esque way, I don’t think it’s Dave’s fault (alone).

First, we have the cameos (I’m not talking famous people in little roles). We had Ahsoka, Boba, Fennec, Luke, Cad Bane,... The comment I’ve often read, that Din is like a guy who is in Star Wars but doesn’t know anything about Star Wars and just happends to stumble into all of the bigger plot lines of the franchise is kind of true, really. And in a way, it’s also fun. But it’s not really a plot.

Second, there is this feeling that Din sidelined Boba in BOBF (true), and that in turn, he now gets sidelind by Bo-Katan in his own show (also, kind of true). But honestly, I’m not that surprised, and I don’t think this tracks back to Feloni. This tracks back to Favreau. It’s something we have seen in the MCU since it entered its phase 2. The Mandalorian has always been more of Favreau’s than Feloni’s baby, and I’m afraid it shows. Though I guess Bo-Katan’s general involvement is on Feloni; she is his OC after all. (If not even his favorite OC.) And we know that he would like to tell her story.

“All I want is to watch Din travel the galaxy with Grogu, going from place to place.” - I bet you do, honey, but that, too, isn’t a plot, that’s a travel guide to the gffa.

So, we arrived at yet another problem. The plot. To be fair, I don’t think we are seeing the original plot for season three. At least not in its entirety. They plotted the season while Gina Carano was still a cast memeber, and Cara Dune still part of the overall narrative. For a production of that size, Carano was ousted comparatively late; her character most likely already written in at least half the episodes. Since it obviously was decided to not simply fill the gap with another actress, a lot of what was planned now had to be re-written rather quickly in comparison. I think that’s why some things feel so rushed (like Bo-Katan’s arc), while the rest of the story doesn’t really seem to go anywhere.

But, honestly, my biggest “problem” with this season is the absence of a good villain. “It’s time to take back Mandalore.” Yes, my dearest Armorer, but from whom, might I ask? Bo and Din were just there. Nobody stopped them. Who’s going to stop you? Sure, we know that Gideon never made it to his trial and was probably extracted by someone loyal to him - and I guess we can be sure that Elia Kane is involved - but the Covert doesn’t know that. I mean, yeah, we all know that a Mandalore’s greatest problem is Mandalorians, but ... You guys know what I’m getting at. WHO AND WHERE IS OUR VILLAIN???

So, anyway, that was my two cents to the hole debate 😁

Guess one thing still remains true: animated Star Wars is the best Star Wars.

#the mandalorian #the mandalorian season 3 #din djarin #Bo-Katan Kryze #bo katan kryze #star wars #dave filoni #jon favreau #plot? what plot?#who needs a plot?#WHERE IS MY VILLAIN #mandalorians #And when is someone finally going to mention Satine?

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mrultra100 · 1 month

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Regarding my thoughts on the idea of PHP Season 3 being the final one (If it even exists at all)

As much as the idea of Prehistoric Planet coming to a close might be a bit worrying to some who want it to continue, talking with one of my friends a while back brought up how they feel like if it continues in its current form, the show probably won’t have more seasons for it after a total of 3 set within the same time period.

Mind you, this isn’t a criticism of the show at all. If anything, it might be a sign that there could be an entire trilogy of seasons set entirely within the Maasrichtian. Since it’s one of the most-well known and studied parts of our planet’s history regarding extinct life, it makes sense to focus entirely on it, along with making a third season to wrap up the show in its state. There’s even a bit of a sneaky suspension that the team behind the show were planning to make 3 seasons all along for one big mega-show (if that makes sense). Not only does this bring up things like certain aspects of Season 2 originally being planned for the first season, a good bit of the stuff for S2 might be shuffled to a possible third season, like the inclusion of Mahajangasuchus. All of it might depend on how the show did, as it’s my theory that there was some tentative plan to release a certain selection of episodes at a selected point in time. Season 2 was likely cut from the same cloth as Season 1, so if a Season 3 does exist, the same thing might ring true for it. And it might be possible that work on this hypothetical Season 3 was going on while Season 2 was coming out in 2023. I’m aware that this entire theory sounds very silly and ridiculous, but the mere fact that Season 2 came out a year after the first could help with it. Unlike the idea of working on another season for a few years after the release of the first, there must’ve been some sort of tentative plan to release the rest of the episodes if the first was successful, and given how people ate up Season 2 when it came out last year, it could be happening again.

Now, regarding what’ll happen to the series after this hypothetical third season comes out, there’s a few possible routes to take, with 2 major examples that I wanna bring up.

The series itself could come to an end, wrapping things up for good. A project on a scale this massive could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After all, the best things come in sets of three.

After being finished with the Maasrichtian, the team behind the show could dedicate the next few years to work on another set of seasons based in another time period, probably in the form of either a spin-off or a sequel series. Something like the Late Jurassic or Pleistocene could be very good picks. Given how the Maasrichtian had a mix of famous species like T. Rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptor, along with more obscure taxa like Barbaridactylus, Rajasaurus, and Phosphorosaurus, the showrunner would want to pick another time period with a good selection of well-known and not as well known species.

Do I really know what’s going to happen to this show in the future? As of now, not really. This is just heavy speculation that I wanted to do for fun. And as it’s been one year since Season 2 was announced, part of me feels like we might see some news soon. And again, it all depends on not just whether or not Season 3 exists, but also if it’s close to completion. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens with this incredible show next.

#ultra ramblings #prehistoric planet

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juuls · 1 year

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Juulna’s 2021 Multi-Fandom Fanfiction Rec List - Part Six

(Yes, I realize this is a year late, but this year's been a bit nuts. I still hope you enjoy these fics anyway!)

Based only on what I’ve read with my own eyes this year!

Follow me on my journey into what, at times, was…

…actually rather calming! Perhaps you can find some comfort and entertainment, fluff and angst and romance and friendship, smut and a distinct lack of it, space adventures and fantasy and modern adventures, serial killers and good guys, redemption and reconciliation and learning to become someone completely different — there is so much here I read that stuck with me over the past year, and the 2021 Fanfic Reading Challenge ( @fanfic-reading-challenge ) allowed me a new way to keep track of all of my favourites. So props to that event! Definitely participating again (considering I run the event, yeah, that's probably a given lol, but full disclosure).

Without further ado, here were my 2021 fic favourites!

Fandom: GoT/AsoIaF

Jaime/Sansa/Oberyn/Ellaria:

Names in the Snow by OperaPhantom

“It’s a punishment,” most whispered. “Punishment from the Old Gods for betraying them for the Seven.”

A few others disagreed. “A gift from the Old Gods to the eldest Stark daughter,” they said. “Or a gift to the North.”

~~~~~~ Sansa Stark receives the Gods' Gift, the mark that identifies her soulmate, only to find out it's what no one, not even herself, expected it to be. But sometimes, surprises can be sweet.

For the February 2021 Pack Prompt of "unexpected".

Jaimsa:

I'm not a princess (this ain't a fairytale) by K_R_Closson

After Joffrey beheads Ned Stark, and his engagement to Sansa is broken, he decides to host a tournament, with the prize being Sansa's hand in marriage. When Jaime Lannister shows up at the last minute to win it, she's afraid she'll be stuck in King's Landing until Joffrey's cruelty does her in. But Jaime made a promise and, one way or another, Lannisters always pay their debts.

Joberyn:

Bequeathed from Pale Estates by Author376

In a Westeros where Soulmates are bound and Marked by the Gods to bind Houses together and pay blood debts, Lyarra Snow and Oberyn Martell are about to get a shock...

Jonsa

and no net ensnares me by thimbleful

Since Jon left, Sansa has struggled to keep things together and she longs for his return. However, when he does return things only become worse. Jon learns about his parentage and doesn't know how to make sense of anything, how to fix the inevitable mess the reveal will create, or how to protect the people he loves. But at least, after all these years, the pack is finally back together. Then, one day, Sansa disappears. Post season 7 fic.

His Winter Queen by @tm-writes-blog

A rewrite of the show's last seasons and how Jon and Sansa forged a true ruling block to challenge the Dragon Queen and defeat the Night King.

There will still be major character deaths, but some very different choices greatly impact the story.

we are buried in broken dreams by Anonymous

Prompt: Sansa and Jon sleeping together before he goes to Dragonstone and when he comes back he finds out she is pregnant.

A full on s8 fix-it fic at this point.

Like winter we are cruel by @ferrame

Winter has come to Winterfell, Jon expects a war north of the Wall, and Littlefinger is brewing one inside the very castle.

you are my sun, my moon (and all of my stars) by Goodforthesoul

When the white wolf came, the Lord of Winterfell had no choice but to give him his eldest daughter. Eddard Stark had grown up on legends of wolves, on the stories of bargains made by the First Men, on the knowledge of the price that he and his family might one day be forced to pay. His father had explained the reason their house had taken a wolf as its heraldry and “Winter is Coming” as its motto, a reminder of a promise to honor, a recognition of a debt owed that would need, one day, to be paid. Ned had breathed a sigh of relief when his sister’s twentieth winter arrived and the beast had not. And he had watched the dawn sky for the first signs of the snow that would mark that his daughter, too, might also be spared, might escape the fate that had been handed down by their ancestors. But no man could be so lucky.

Sansa, too, had been born with the North in her blood, had been raised on the stories of white wolves, had lived her life with the knowledge that one might come for her.

if you try to break me, you will bleed by @dialux

It had been a slash across her chest from a White Walker’s sword that finally ended her life. Sansa’d landed in a puddle of her own blood, and she’d died quickly, quietly.

And then she’d awoken with a gasp, trembling, in a bed that had burned under Theon’s betrayal.

The pursuit of non-bath time happiness by Queenofthebees

After Jon refuses Gendry's ask for Arya's hand, citing the fact Sansa was not yet betrothed, Rickon observes and, with the help of Shaggydog, Ghost and Arya, comes up with a plan to have Jon realise he should court Sansa himself. And if it were to result in Jon being less strict about bath times, that was totally coincidental!

The She-Wolves of Winterfell by @vixleonard

The pack survived. So has the Stark habit of keeping secrets.

Jonsaery:

and in the night, you'll hear me calling by @lesbiancerseilannister

When you met your soulmate, touched them for the first time, you would see everything in all its colorful glory.

Jonsanerys:

Brave, Gentle, Strong by @jonsainthenorth

The Night King is defeated, the battle is ended, the dead heroes are burned, but the song is not yet done.

Now, Dany must grapple with the news of her newfound family and the possibility for the Targaryen line to continue beyond her. . . and beyond her brother’s son. She offer Sansa an impossible choice, one that will destroy the Lady of Winterfell's independence but grant her heart's desire and protect the North in perpetuity. Jon is caught between the two halves of himself, between two Queens, Targaryen and Stark, Fire and Ice, Dragon and Direwolf, honor and dishonor...

Sanberyn, Brandon Stark/Catelyn, minor Rhaelyanna, Jon/Cersei:

The Road to Victory by writing_as_tracey

Too late in preparing for the Night King and the Long Night, the last stand at Winterfell is close to falling. Bran takes desperate measures to ensure victory, and Jon, Sansa, and Arya pay the price for it in a time unfamiliar to them, on the cusp of another war. [GoT, time-travel fix it]

Sanberynia:

A Winter in Braavos by Silberias

Sansa escapes to Braavos with the Dornish.

Desert Winds Rather Than Mountain Air by Silberias

Catelyn Stark leaves King's Landing telling even her old friend Petyr Baelish that she is taking her daughters back to Winterfell. Instead she takes them, without telling Ned, to Dorne because if anyone will believe a tale of Lannister treachery it will be the Martells of Dorne.

She realizes, as she reaches the gates of Sunspear, that she is really no better than her father was all those years ago.

Clinging To The Wild Things That Raised Us by TheSweetestThing

If the Martells demanded the traitor Sansa Stark’s hand in marriage in return for peace throughout the Seven Kingdoms, then so be it.

For Fear Tonight Is All by Silberias

Tyrion knew, as he gazed up at the dark skinned Martell man that this was perhaps his only chance to spirit Sansa out of King's Landing and away from his father's greedy fingers. Tywin Lannister would have married the girl himself if he felt he could have gotten away with it, and so Tyrion knew his own marriage was no protection to Ned Stark's daughter whatsoever.

"Invite her, demand her, steal her--whatever you choose, Prince Oberyn, choose it soon. Else my lady wife shall break into more pieces than the stars."

a sad tale's best for winter by @branwyn-says

Oberyn and Ellaria visit the finest brothel in Oldtown. One of its most alluring attraction is the harpist, a girl with dyed brown hair.

She's still a maid, the brothel-keep assures them.

in this expected country they know my name by @lesspopped

At the wedding feast, Oberyn and Ellaria are approached by the Master of Whisperers, who begs they indulge him with a discussion of clothing — specifically, Lady Sansa Stark's. Very fine, they all agree...but what a shame, Ellaria tuts, she has lost an amethyst from her hairnet.

So when Joffrey begins to cough, they follow her, and find her in the godswood.

I See The Stars In Your Eyes by @themistressmaster

She feared that she was just like her aunt, a wreath of winter roses bestowed upon her at a tourney.

Sanberynia/Jon:

Dornish Customs by @framboise-fics

Sansa escapes from the Eyrie to Castle Black after being accused of the death of her late husband Harrold Hardyng, arriving just after Jon has been resurrected. The two of them decide to flee South together and after journeying for many moons, they arrive in Sunspear and find sanctuary with Prince Oberyn and his paramour Ellaria Sand.

But neither of them have escaped from their pasts unscathed, and during the sweltering days and long sultry nights of Dorne, tensions boil over in unexpected ways.

Sansa deserves a good man guarding her, an honourable man, and she has put her trust in Jon, who is not an honourable man at all. Perhaps he came back wrong, he thinks sometimes, perhaps this sickness is something the red priestess gave him.

Stansa:

Half of Winter by @manic-intent

Stannis Baratheon has survived wars, sieges, pitched battles and skirmishes and worse, but nothing has made him feel as lost and out of place and unnerved as this very moment.

The little pink infant in the crib sleeps peacefully, wrapped in furs, and her wrists are innocently blank. For an irrational moment, Stannis envies her, then he straightens up and turns away. Winterfell is warm, somehow - some sort of piped system, apparently - and his gloves are tucked into his belt, baring the pale silver script on the underside of his right wrist: Sansa Stark.

Wolf's Blood by @manic-intent

"Ser Davos tells me that my brother Robb has done something rash," Sansa cuts in hurriedly, before Stannis rebukes Davos. "Is that true? He has broken his word to the Freys?"

"Aye, and Lord Walder will not so easily forgive that," Stannis looks over to the Twins where they are marked on the huge table that forms the centerpiece of the Chamber, and behind him, sleek and voluptuous in her sheer red dress, Melisandre smiles with her full, crimson mouth. "Your brother is a gifted commander, but he is still a very young boy. Still," Stannis adds, with a lift of a shoulder, "Older men than he have sundered far more over women. I should know - I was part of the last war that broke out over a woman. Your aunt."

Queen of the Seven Kingdoms by @sarahtheblack

Ned doesn't go to Cersei with a warning. He goes to Dragonstone.

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